Schooled
by Moon Prynces
Summary: AU From learning Sex Ed at age five to understanding the difference between being lonely and being alone, Link is taught more than one possibly should from his best friend – Zelda. Life's a classroom: always teaching and being taught. friendship/romance
1. Age 5

4-22-10

Around 9pm

Summary–AU There are those moments in life where a few words or one sentence changes your entire view on everything you thought you knew. Most often for me they came from my best friend.LinkZelda friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Age 5 – Sex Ed**

Mom said we had to go over and greet our new neighbors. Dad smiled and said she was trying to be a nosy busybody. I laughed with him even though I wasn't sure what it meant.

Then she yelled at us and sent me outside to wait. Dad just kept laughing and I couldn't hear what he said to her because I only turned around at the front door. He saw me and winked so I just left because I don't really care about grown up things anyway.

I sat down at the front steps and watched people moving around across the street. A big truck that had furniture in it was opened.

When I got bored I watched the ants near the bottom step making an anthill.

She came up to me and announced, "My name's Zelda and I'm a girl."

I stared. "My name's Link," I stated. "And I know you're a girl." I made a weird face like she was an alien.

"Really?" she asked, leaning in closer to my face with her eyes wide open. "How?"

I turned away, embarrassed. "Well, you look like it...and you have longer hair and-and stuff," I answered.

She laughed loudly. "That's not the stuff that makes me a girl!"

"But you _are,_ so what's the big deal?" I shouted in anger. She was trying to make me look stupid, I was sure – and I was not stupid.

She stopped and stared at me. After a while she said, "Well there's a reason I'm a girl and you're a..."

"A boy!" I said back.

"Are you sure?" she smiled. "Just kidding! If anyone would know it would have to be you!" she giggled.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"Boys and girls have different parts!" she said like it was obvious.

"Different...parts...?" I finally said and thought of how girls had longer hair and softer eyes and boys grew up and got beards like my uncle.

"Yea," she nodded and sat down next to me on the stoop. Then she looked across the street to where people were talking with sofas all over the lawn like it was the living room. "Under our pants!" she whispered quickly into my ear.

I stared back at her before laughs started coming out of my mouth.

She made the face my mom does before she yells. I slapped my hand over her mouth to stop her.

"Okay so what's different under our pants?" I asked and moved my hand away.

"Boys have different parts under their pants than girls!" she kept trying to explain.

I thought about this. But I had never seen a girl without clothes on so I didn't know if it was true. My dad and I had the same parts, I think.

"Well, why are they different?" I asked back.

She smiled wide and I wished I hadn't asked at all. I should have just nodded my head in the first place and not said anything.

"Because the parts are supposed to connect someday! Boys have a key and girls have a keyhole!" she said happily.

I frowned. "That's not fair. Why can't I have both?"

"It's the way you find the person you marry!" she explained, getting more and more excited. Then she leaned toward me and whispered, "If the key and keyhole connect right then you should be together with that person."

I stared in awe. I didn't know about any of these things because I never paid attention to grown up stuff!

Well now I knew!

I looked back up as Zelda stared across the street at her new house.

But maybe I should ask my dad just to make sure...

**xoxo**

**First chapter** of about six or seven. Almost all are completely done already. Just two or three need to be completed/edited.

Seeing as I thought I was writing a one-shot in the beginning I didn't write the date and times for the end/beginning of chapters. So I can't write that down here like I usually do these days.

Humor, friendship, romance – all centering around Link and Zelda! What more could you want?

I decided to start posting chapters now because if I go ahead and put up one chapter a week or every other week then it would take forever. Thanks for reading and just wait for the rest!


	2. Age 10

Summary–AU There are those moments in life where a few words or one sentence changes your entire view on everything you thought you knew. Most often for me they came from my best friend.LinkZelda friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Age 10 – The difference between girl friends and girlfriends**

I was busy pushing a kid, Ganon, to tag him when a new girl stumbled out of the school doors.

It was recess and it was hot outside. Ganon, a few other boys and I argued over what to play before it was decided with rock, paper, scissors.

"Hi!" someone said loudly next to my ear.

I jumped and hit the corner of the wall I was peering around. "Um, hi." I looked over my shoulder to be sure no one saw. Ganon was still chasing Sheik around the playground and there were ten more minutes left to play.

"I'm Ruto!" she smiled at me. "What's your name?"

I stared. "Link."

"Oh, what class are you in? I'm new – my dad just dropped me off." She moved her hands behind her back and rocked on her feet.

"507," I stated blandly. "I've gotta–" I was just turning away to run off where Sheik was now chasing Ganon.

"That's so cool! So am I!" she said happily.

"Uh, yeah."

I turned and ran before she could say something else. There were only seven more minutes left to play.

"Hey Link, where were you?" Sheik asked as he saw me coming and started to chase me instead of Ganon.

"Some girl started bothering me. She's new or something," I shouted back, running around the jungle gym and under some bars.

"Oh, looks like Link has a new girlfriend!" Sheik laughed and a few of the other boys went along with it.

I hopped onto the slide and ran all the way up. He followed and the other boys watched.

"Does that mean he's cheating on Zelda?" someone asked.

I used the fireman's pole and slid down before Sheik could grab my shirt.

"Link is what my dad calls a 'ladies man'," I heard another person say.

I was getting tired and it wasn't fair that Sheik was trying to get just me. But then the bell rang and everyone went 'aww' and we all had to go back inside. Sheik didn't get to catch me and I was wondering what the other boys were talking about.

I had to walk home alone because it was the day Zelda was sick from food poisoning. I also had to bring her the homework she needed for the next day.

Bleh. She was such a goody two-shoes. If I had been absent I wouldn't have done anything but watch TV.

Even though I had seen the new girl in class, we didn't speak and she sat all the way across the room from me. I was fine with it but she waved or smiled whenever I looked in that direction. I usually just pretended I didn't see and looked away fast.

"Hey! Link!"

I cringed when I heard the voice and kept walking.

But then she was running up next to me and smiling.

"Hi Link! I go home this way too!" Ruto exclaimed.

"Yeah," I said without looking at her.

For once since we'd met she was quiet and we walked along. Then I felt her looking at me and acting like she wasn't.

"Link?" she asked quietly.

I turned to her with my most serious face – the one that's even made Aryll cry before.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

My face changed to confusion.

"Uh...the only girl friend I have is Zelda..." I said stupidly. I thought about it. Sure there were other girls in our class and maybe I talked to them sometimes but Zelda was the only friend.

"Who is Zelda?" she said the name carefully.

I rolled my eyes. It wasn't that hard to pronounce.

"She's my neighbor and she's in our class. I've known her since we were five."

Ruto's eyes went wide. "She's been your girlfriend since then?"

"Well, yeah I guess so." I thought about this.

"Um, here's my street. I'll see you in class Link!" Ruto said and made a left turn into the block while I kept going straight. She didn't wait for me to say bye or anything.

I shrugged and went straight to Zelda's front door. As usual, she had left it unlocked for me even though her mom told her not to do that anymore. I grinned and tip-toed inside.

"I'm right here Link," I heard come from my left.

"Darn," I said to myself. "What are you doing downstairs anyway? Shouldn't you be in bed resting?"

Zelda rolled her eyes and then threw herself down on the sofa. It was already covered in a blanket and the TV was on.

"So you weren't studying how to break into the mall to get those shoes your mom won't let you buy?" I asked, walking into the living room.

"Even geniuses like me need a break," she said into the blanket.

"Well, genius, I brought all the assignments you missed today." And I dropped the stack of papers onto the coffee table. I sat down on the only spot on the sofa she wasn't using. My favorite afternoon cartoon already started. If Ruto hadn't bothered me then I would have made it home in time.

Zelda and I sat in silence and watched TV. Then she got up and left the room. I guessed she went to the bathroom. A commercial came on and I heard her opening the refrigerator.

"So what happened in school today?" she asked and came back with two sodas for us.

"Another diorama project for History, I said in irritation. We watched as the commercial break ended.

At the end of the half hour some lame show came on and we ignored it.

"Oh and there was some new girl who wouldn't leave me alone," I shuddered.

I saw Zelda's interest go up. "What did she want?"

I shrugged. "Who cares? I think she's done following me around though. She asked if I had a girl friend and of course I do! I have you and I told her so she got all weird and left."

Zelda turned her head slowly to look at me. I watched her blankly.

"You...WHAT?" she screeched and jumped off the sofa. "Link, are you stupid?"

"Wha– Hey, I'm not stupid!" I said back quickly. "What did I do?" I asked as she glared at me.

"She asked if you had a girlfriend Link!"

"Yeah, I know that! I was there!"

Zelda sighed and closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them she didn't seem upset anymore and she sat back down next to me.

"Link," she said.

"Yeah?" I asked carefully.

"It's no wonder you're barely passing."

I made a face.

"She asked if you had a girlfriend not a girl friend!" Zelda went off again.

"Geez, if I wanted to get yelled at I would have just gone home and drawn on the walls," I rolled my eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"A girlfriend and a girl _friend_ are two completely different things!" She waited as I stared. "You know how people date before they get married?" I nodded. "Well when they're dating they're called 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'."

I gaped. "That-that's stupid! It's so easy to confuse!"

She shook her head. "No, when people ask about your girlfriend they always mean the person you're dating! If they were just talking about a friend they would just say 'friend'." Zelda eyed me before turning away. "Link, I can't believe you don't know these things." She still looked kind of angry.

"So...what's wrong now? I didn't know before."

She didn't say anything.

"Well?" I asked again and leaned in to try and look at her face.

"Now everyone will think you and I are dating!" she complained.

"No they won't! I only told Ruto. And besides who would she tell? It's only her first day here."

"They'll all think we're dating now Link," she still said firmly, sounding displeased.

"So? What's wrong with dating me?" I asked defensively.

She stared at the TV before answering. "Link, if we were dating it would mean we would have to get married and then we'd have to spend the rest of our lives together! Do you wanna live with me and do all those couple things and kissing with me?" Now she turned to look at me.

"Uh, I mean..." I moved back from her gaze. I never thought about any of these things. I wasn't even sure how people started to date. Were you supposed to just pick the girl or boy you knew and start dating them?

Ugh, now that I think about all the couple things I've seen my parents do I'm not sure I want to think about any of this. Before I could say something Zelda beat me to it.

"Link, I like you but I'm not ready to date you or anyone," she said and reached for the remote.

She found a channel with a rerun of an old show we used to watch. We were quiet for a while.

Zelda pulled her blanket back up around her. "Don't worry Link, if I had to choose out of all the boys to marry I'd choose you. You have such nice eyes."

My head whipped around to look at her but she was too busy with the TV to notice.

**xoxo**

**Too bad **there's not many people reading this. Ah well. Hope you enjoyed chapter two.

5-30-10


	3. Age 15

Summary–AU There are those moments in life where a few words or one sentence changes your entire view on everything you thought you knew. Most often for me they came from my best friend.LinkZelda friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Age 15 – How not to miss something**

"It's decided," she said and dropped her bookbag onto my desk.

I looked up in surprise. She almost smashed a few fingers with all those books she's got in there.

"What?" I asked back.

Around us the classroom was still in motion and the teacher had two more minutes before we had to be in our seats and at full attention. Everyone was making the most of those two minutes.

Zelda was once again late and therefore missed homeroom completely.

"You know you missed the announcement about–" I tried to say.

"Yeah okay," she interrupted and waved her hand dismissively. She wouldn't take her seat right next to me and kept up the serious face. "It's over. My parents are finally getting a divorce," she said calmly, and then took her bag and put it onto her own desk.

"What?" I asked again, this time in disbelief. "But I thought they were going to work things out, started counseling and everything!" I looked at her as she sat down and began pulling out her notebook and textbook.

"Yeah, it's over," she said again.

The finality in her tone didn't scare me as much as the way she seemed to not really care about it. I didn't get to ask if she was okay because as soon as I opened my mouth class began.

I turned away reluctantly, wondering if I should pass a note or something. But soon we were swamped with history notes that rivaled the length of the textbook.

**xoxo**

"Link!" someone called as I was just sitting down at a table in the cafeteria. I looked up as Saria was quickly making her way over to me. I also spotted Mido and Sheik taking their time behind her.

"Hm?" I asked after she reached me and I was chewing on an apple.

Saria was busy trying to catch her breath. "Zelda...she...with..." she panted out.

I perked up at the name. "What?" I questioned after swallowing harshly.

Then she slammed her hand onto the table and said clearly, "Zelda was caught making out with Ganon in the boys bathroom last period!"

My mouth dropped open as the guys sat down across from me. Saria shoved me further down the bench and sat down as well. I was about to protest in disbelief but someone else spoke up.

Sheik shook his head. "It's true. She's with the Dean right now and half the school probably knows."

I stared at him. "With Ganon? Seriously?"

Saria was nodding next to me.

"But...why?" was all I could say.

"We've all been wondering that," Mido spoke up.

We were all quiet a moment.

Before I could stop myself I was muttering, "Ganon? Really?" while staring into the apple I was holding.

The problem wasn't that Ganon wasn't an okay looking guy. We'd all known him, and each other, since elementary school. The surprise was from Zelda giving in.

Ganon had a crush on the girl since we were like twelve and he openly tried to win her over. He started with kind words and poems in her desk and now moved on to random gifts and flowers.

Zelda always made it clear she wasn't interested in him in that way. Even though we used to joke about the whole thing and make fun of him a bit she just shook her head at us. I guess she felt kinda bad for him. Even so, she wouldn't have just changed her mind all of a sudden.

On the walk home – something that Zelda and I had shared since we first started school – I tried to question her about it.

"So...you and Ganon?" I asked, diving right in.

She just shrugged without looking at me.

"I...didn't know you liked him." I tried to make eye contact.

"I don't," she said simply.

I stared blankly. "What? Then why did you–"

Zelda finally turned to me with a smile that usually helped her get away with things. "It was nothing, Link."

"Zelda," I began seriously, "You were caught making out with him _in the boy's bathroom_. I heard you got sent to the Dean. Do your parents know about it?" I questioned.

She shrugged. "He probably left a message on the machine. I don't know if my dad heard it yet or not. I'll just delete it when I get home," she said nonchalantly.

My mouth fell open again. The good-girl Zelda was breaking rules and lying?

There wasn't much I could say to lecture her. I was only her friend and she wouldn't have listened to me anyway.

**xoxo**

A week later I was trying to cram for a math test with Malon and Sheik in the school library during lunch. I was so busy memorizing formulas I didn't hear when Malon spoke.

"Link?"

I looked up at my name. "Huh?" I quickly glanced back at my notes and scribbled something before giving her my attention.

"Have you seen Zelda today? She was supposed to meet us now. I was going to ask for her help with this chapter in the book," Malon asked worriedly. Her math grade was definitely something to worry about.

I shrugged. "Nah, I haven't had class with her yet."

Sheik put his book down on the table and looked at us. "I didn't see her either. We have gym together but I don't think she was there," he shrugged.

We both went back to studying as Malon kept glancing up at the library doors, waiting for Zelda to rush in and apologize for forgetting or something.

The rest of the period passed and it was time for the exam. Zelda hadn't shown at all so Sheik and I were trying to help Malon as we headed to class.

I managed to finish early and left the room feeling okay about the test. On my way to the vending machines I saw a head of blonde hair that I recognized.

"Zelda!" I called out as I walked closer.

She turned around quickly and smiled at me. "Hey Link, what's up?"

I made a weird face. "Shouldn't you be in class now?" I shook it off and asked another question. "Sheik said he didn't see you in gym earlier, what happened?"

She shrugged. "My parents dragged me with them to see their lawyers. I got to listen as they argued over the car my dad bought two years ago and the priceless portrait we've got in the living room."

"Oh," I said knowingly. "So that's where you've been all morning."

She smiled benignly. "I was just heading to the office with a note." And she held up a paper that obviously had her dad's handwriting.

The sound of a door opening caught my attention and I watched as someone emerged from the girl's bathroom.

It was an upperclassman – Midna was her name.

"You still here Zelda?" she asked with a smile. "Well that was fun. I hope you come out with us again soon," she said before nodding and walking away without giving Zel' a chance to say anything.

I turned my gaze away from Midna walking away to Zelda's carefully blank expression. I raised my brows at her. I didn't wanna have to call her a liar but she didn't seem like she was going to admit it herself.

"You hung out with Midna and her friends?" I asked leisurely.

Zelda shrugged again. "Well Dad dropped me off around lunch time anyway. So I got to talking to her and went out to eat. We just got back." She rolled her eyes at me. "It's not a big deal. We just got food."

Still worried I said, "I didn't know you were good friends with her, that's all."

Then she just shook her head and turned to walk away. "I'll see you later, Link."

**xoxo**

Of course by 'see you later' she probably didn't mean it literally like I thought. I didn't walk home with Zelda for a while after that. Once I got a hold of her in class and asked what happened she just said she got a ride home these days or she went out to see people.

I was trying not to get on her case about anything because, really, I shouldn't be telling her what to do. It's not like we were dating or something either. We were just best friends.

But everyone else seemed to think the title "best friends" meant I was her babysitter or something.

Malon and Saria were always asking where she was while people I only talked to once in a while came up to me with their thoughts on her behavior. What was I supposed to say? 'Oh that's interesting' and 'Sure, I'll get right on it'?

I was already unconsciously watching for her arrivals through my bedroom window, which faced their house directly. I was losing sleep over it because suddenly Zelda was coming home after eleven. Didn't her dad question anything?

One Saturday two months later I was cleaning the living room and kitchen – as per my mom's orders while she took Aryll out shopping. My little sister was only ten years old but I guess it was never too early to bond over clothes and shoes.

When I was done I was too tired to trek back upstairs and so decided to sit outside on the front stoop as the house's shadow provided good shade and the evening breeze was picking up.

I sat and watched the house across the street, remembering a time when the lawn had been covered in furniture like some picture in a magazine. And some crazy little girl came over and started planting outlandish ideas in my head.

I jumped up and decided to see if maybe she was home. By now Zelda rarely hung out with our normal group of friends and we only talked a few times in the halls on the way to class, which meant it was usually shallow conversation.

Instead of going for the doorbell like a normal person I went straight for the knob and tried to open it. Even though I shouldn't have been, I was surprised to find it locked. Like maybe she'd still have that habit of leaving it unlocked for me, her best friend, to come striding in as she was watching TV or in the shower.

So I rang the doorbell and her dad's angry face was what greeted me.

"Hi...I–" I started sheepishly.

But he just motioned for me to come in and turned away. I realized while closing the door that he was on the phone and arguing with someone. I only needed one guess to know who.

"Well you can forget about it you gold-digging–" He cut himself off when he saw me still standing there. "There is no way I'm paying you for breaking this family up. If you needed money so bad you should have..." He went on and walked further into the house so I wouldn't hear.

I didn't get to ask if Zelda was home but then he must've let me inside for a reason.

So I made my way upstairs and to her bedroom door where I could hear she was definitely home. Good, maybe it was time to have that best friend talk and whatever.

Except when I opened the door I found she wasn't home alone.

There I saw my innocent and naïve best friend lying on her bed with some guy on top of her, making out like there was no tomorrow. I flinched and slammed the door closed behind me but it was pretty obvious her dad wasn't going to be up anytime soon.

The guy pulled back slowly and held himself up over her to look at me with a steady gaze. Zelda also looked over, her shirt ridden up and pants dangerously low.

I just stared at them. The guy, whoever he was, made some face like he was just expecting me to leave already. I waited him out.

Zelda hastily wiped the corners of her mouth and gently pushed him away so she could sit up.

"Um, maybe you should go," she told him softly. He was still trying to stare me down but turned to her at those words.

"Alright. I'll see you in school," he said, giving her another lingering kiss before walking towards her bedroom door to leave.

I made a disgusted face as he passed through the doorway. Her father knew she had this guy over and he still left his fifteen year old daughter alone with him?

"That was...Vaati," I said as she stood up and walked to the mirror to adjust her appearance. "Isn't he a senior?"

She shrugged at me through the mirror.

"What the fuck Zelda!" I finally exploded, feeling like her father or something.

She finally whipped around to stare at me with wide eyes. I stomped over, and moved her to sit down on the bed. I stood over in front of her and stared hard. She just looked up at me with innocent eyes.

"Zelda," I whispered and sat down next to her. "What are you doing these days? The gang and I never see you. And suddenly you're like dating a new guy every week. What's going on with you?" I glanced over to see her staring at her lap.

I thought back to her dad screaming into the phone and how she was always casually talking about the divorce.

"Zel', are you okay?" I asked, leaning a little to try and catch her eyes.

She shook her head no but didn't look at me.

"It's about your parents," I said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She leaned on me like she used to when we were little and tried to watch movies late at her house and she tried not to fall asleep but always did anyway.

"They just fight a lot Link, nothing to be worried about," she replied in a futile attempt to smooth things over.

"They fight even worse than before they decided on divorce," I said back, making the problem obvious.

She sighed. "Yeah. It's like now there's no pretense of trying to work things out so they're just battling over every petty thing possible." Then she lifted her head to look at me. "But you know what? They never argued over me."

Those simple words hit me hard as she stared at me with only slight confusion and hurt. She was still trying to hide it all.

"But why?" I asked myself, turning away from her gaze. "Why'd you start dating all these random guys and hanging out with upperclassmen like Midna? You weren't doing it for attention..." I thought out loud.

"Maybe I did," I heard her say wistfully.

We were quiet for a moment.

"I didn't mean to act like some out of control teenager," Zelda said, putting her head back on my shoulder. "I guess...I was trying to see if someone – anyone – wanted me. I'm still not sure."

I thought about it all. It should have been obvious – every time she mentioned something about her parents she went out with someone new. To be honest I shuddered thinking about what she was using all those guys for, granted it had only been like four or five of them including Vaati and Ganon.

"Maybe...they didn't want to start fighting over you," I said slowly, trying to get the words as I stared straight ahead into the wall. "Because if they did, someone would have to win and someone would have to lose. And I'm pretty sure neither of them would want to lose that fight."

Zelda pulled away to look up at me but I was too embarrassed at being so sensitive and insightful.

"Why don't you just tell them?" I asked, glancing around her room and removing my arm as she sat up straighter.

She hung her head as if it wasn't an option.

"Zelda there's always going to be someone that wants you." She peered at me cautiously. "Me."

**xoxo**

**Okay, time** to post chapter three. Hope you enjoyed. Wanna tell me what you think? I think this one seems kinda rushed, though there is the implied time lapse...

6-13-10

12:28am


	4. Age 18

Summary–AU There are those moments in life where a few words or one sentence changes your entire view on everything you thought you knew. Most often for me they came from my best friend.LinkZelda friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Age 18 – Doing bad things + 1 = fun**

"Link!" someone was shouting as they flew down the hall towards me. "Link!"

I looked up from my conversation with Mikau to see Zelda running my way with a bright smile and eager face. This was definitely trouble.

"No," I said as soon as she was in front of me.

Her face fell for a second and Mikau laughed at the two of us while I gave her a stern look. Then she smiled again as her determination came back.

"You can't say no! I've already decided!" she said happily. "Hi Mikau! How's Lulu?" she turned to him.

"Great," he smiled back. "She was asking about you the other day. Here, she got a new number and wanted to make sure you kept in touch." And he pulled out a pen while Zelda held out her hand for him to write on.

"Cool. Now if you'll excuse us Mikau, I'm sorry I have to interrupt your 'guy talk'," she motioned with quotes.

Mikau laughed again before saying bye and leaving us to head to his lunch period. I was still rifling through my locker.

"Shouldn't you be heading to Rauru's class right about now?" I questioned with a raised brow.

Zelda just shook her head. "No way! This is it Link. We're graduating in a month, why bother? I've already got the grades," she beamed. "And because the sun is shining and the weather is so agreeable I was thinking..."

I frowned while pulling out my chem textbook, hoping today would be the day she took them off our hands already. I was also anxiously waiting for the end of the school year. And like most of our class, I had mixed feelings about leaving high school for good.

"No," I said again, even though I hadn't heard her.

Zelda pouted and folded her arms, which I noticed were also empty. "It's the last stretch of our public school careers! Why can't we do things normal seniors do? I want to cut class." She spoke the last part quietly so as not to attract attention.

My head whipped around to stare at her. "What?" I stared some more before I started laughing. "That's all? I thought you wanted to prank your least favorite teacher–"

"Gaebora deserves it," she muttered.

I turned to her and laughed. "So what exactly is this grand plan of yours then? We'd cut class and do what?" I asked, just because she was starting to get pissed.

She smiled again like she'd already won. "Well the six of us could go and–"

"There is no 'six of us'," I interrupted.

"What? Why?" Zelda demanded.

"Sheik and Malon still have finals today. Saria's on the yearbook committee so they're still working out a few things and Mido got sent home sick. I'm not sure what he's got though..." I tried to remember.

Zelda groaned loudly and face-palmed.

"So you give up then?" I asked sweetly and leaned over her.

"Tch. We don't need them Link," she said confidently and grabbed my hand. "We are going to the beach." And then she shut my locker before I could take out my books.

I gaped at my locker and then at her face. Class was going to start in a minute and I could easily get away with being a minute or two late but Chemistry was on the other side of the school.

"What the hell," I said in slight anger and moved towards my locker.

"No," she said simply and pulled me away with the hand she was holding.

"Zelda," I said back seriously as she tried to lead me towards a stairwell.

"Do you have any more tests Link?"

"No," I replied through gritted teeth.

"Any papers to hand in? Reports to do? Projects or presentations?"

I glared at the back of her head and tried to pull my hand away. "No."

"Good. Because if you don't come with me I can just go alone." She stopped walking and let go of me. "Or I could just ask Ganon or something," she smirked.

"Ha! That's not really convincing considering he gave up on you after freshman year," I grinned. "But fine, you win. Let's go," I grumbled.

**xoxo**

It was almost twelve and we still hadn't left for the beach. I was busy rolling around on Zelda's bed while she picked through the swimsuits and wraps and whatever else she had in her closet.

"Zelda..." I groaned and stretched out her name. "I thought we were going to cut school for a reason! I could've had a better time watching Tingle draw maps."

She ignored me completely and walked back into her huge closet. And I'm not even kidding here. Her house had been seriously upgraded since her parents got divorced. She still lived with her dad across the street from me but her dad was hardly ever around because he worked so much. Which was how she was able to afford a whole lot of stuff that Malon and Saria borrowed (like the clothes) or Sheik, Mido and I came over to use (like the entertainment system).

"Come on," I nagged. "What if my mom notices your car in your driveway and comes over to see if you're okay? You know she'd do it," I said. "You don't even need a swimsuit! We're just going to hang out for a few hours and whatnot!" I whined.

She came out of the closet and looked up at me with a smile. Then she started talking about something completely random.

"Well guess what! I started working out like I said I would–"

"Which time?" I mumbled as I sat up.

She elbowed me before smiling and continuing. "So soon I'll have a six pack better than Sheik!"

I snorted. "Sure you will. Sheik's like a machine from the future or something. If we didn't know him since primary school then I'd actually believe that," I said thoughtfully, imagining Sheik with a robot arm and wires coming out of his back.

She laughed and threw something at me. "I'm so serious here. Sheik is going down! I'll be more fit than any of you losers!" she declared.

"How's that possible?"

She was picking through the clothes she'd thrown onto the bureau absently, like A.D.D. had kicked in or something. "Oh I just keep feeding Sheik junk food and the cupcakes and stuff I make. Usually he doesn't notice when I offer a–" She stopped slowly as her brain began to function again and realized her mistake.

I smirked. "What was that?"

"Um..." she glanced around. "I made some cupcakes! Wanna try?" And she smiled while laughing with me.

When we settled down I got up, grabbed a pair of her shorts and a random t-shirt, shoved them in her hands and pushed her into the bathroom.

"You've got ten minutes Zel'. Otherwise I'm leaving you here and taking your car." I grinned when she glanced back.

She sighed. "Fine."

After the door locked I sighed too. "Girls," I mumbled before throwing myself back onto her bed.

**xoxo**

It took us almost forty-five minutes to get there, and I'm pleased to say it was pretty deserted. Well of course it was – it was a Thursday! And even though it was sunny and warm, the water was still freezing.

When we got out and walked onto the sand I commented, "Hmm, well wow I'm glad we got here so early." Zelda looked at me. "I mean when all the _other_ kids come from cutting class we'll have a spot already."

And then she shoved me playfully, but I was so caught off guard I almost pitched sideways into the sand.

I rolled my eyes. "Real mature Zel'. Especially coming from someone who's going to be graduating high school in less than a month."

She kicked sand at my legs and then stuck out her tongue.

"Zelda," I warned.

"Yes Link?" she answered with a sweet – and _fake_ – smile on her face.

I gave a genuine smile. "Wanna check out the water?" I asked.

She looked worried before staring out into the ocean. "Well I don't know...I don't have a swimsuit on so I'd rather not fall in and get we– _Link!_ Yo-you! Put me down!" she screeched from over my shoulder.

"Yeah right," I scoffed and grinned. "You kicked sand at me! It's only fair!" I shouted as I walked to the water front with Zelda struggling from over my left shoulder.

"I can't believe you'd do this to your best friend Link!" she yelled at me while hitting my back.

I laughed, because some people were staring at the caveman/cavewoman scene we were exhibiting. I pulled off her shoes and dropped them onto the sand, as well as taking off my own, before I took the two steps left to feel the cold water.

"Ah damn!" I hissed, and lost a bit of balance.

"Let me down now Link," she said calmly.

"No! You're gonna hit me!" I complained with a smile.

"No, I won't. I'll kill you."

I put her down because my shoulder was starting to ache and I was already mid-calf in the water. Lucky I wore shorts to school. "Geez Zel' did you gain some weight?"

She looked around quickly, probably for something to hit me with, but her shoes weren't close enough. Then the light bulb went off and she kicked _water_ at me this time.

I flinched at the cold and tried to kick some back at her. With my bigger legs and more force, I heard Zelda gasp as the cold water hit her more exposed legs.

"See, doesn't feel so great now does it?" I smirked triumphantly.

"Okay, okay!" she yelled, hands out in front of her and bracing for another attack. "I surrender!"

"'Kay," I shrugged. "Wanna get something to eat?" I asked while walking back to our deposited shoes.

I glanced over my shoulder to see her surprised expression. I stopped walking and stared.

"Zelda...were you about to jump me?" I asked.

She gazed at me blankly...before she was off like a shot and sprinting across the wet sand while laughing. And of course I ran after her with raised fists and threats.

The few people that were at the beach on this wonderful day all probably thought we were troublemakers or something. We were too busy racing around like five year olds to care.

Damn, I forgot she used to run track.

**xoxo**

"Your side is crooked, Link," she said to me before scooping up some more sand.

I grumbled, "What was that?" And I _accidentally_ punctured a corner of her tower.

"Hey!" she protested. "I saw that!" She tried to cover her broken tower with her hand.

"This sand castle is pathetic," I said.

Zelda glared at me. "No it isn't. If you would just try a bit harder then maybe we could finish before the sun sets!" she complained. "At least I finished the moat!"

"Yeah and that's all you did."

She gasped and then narrowed her eyes. "Are you saying I'm doing a shoddy job here?"

I narrowed my eyes right back. "Well I'm not the one whose side is crooked! It's yours!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

And before I knew it her hand swept across and knocked down whatever progress we'd made.

I planted my butt flat on the sand and turned to watch the water, and she followed my example.

"So now what?" I asked.

"I don't know. I've got sand all over me now." She cringed while trying to brush it off her arm and hands.

I started laughing. "Only we could start arguing over a sand castle."

She chuckled along too, and then under her breath said, "Yeah because it was _your_ fault."

"What was that?" I asked quickly, even though I had heard.

"Nothing!" She put on her angel face and I grinned.

**xoxo**

"Thank you, best friend!" she said with a smile.

I shook my head and thanked the guy as he gave me my ice cream cone.

"Zelda, how can you let your broke best friend pay for you? It's not like we're on a date where you would expect the guy to pay!" I chided while licking my ice cream, though it was only because she didn't have her wallet on her.

She was too busy humming happily while eating her own cone.

We were now walking along the not-too-crowded boardwalk while eating this one last snack before heading back. It was almost four-thirty and it would probably take us an hour with traffic.

I would probably go home with a slight tan and sand would be coming out of my ears for a week but it was a pretty okay day. Just hanging out and doing nothing with someone I got along with too well.

And I still had to finish that paper...

Okay so maybe I did lie to her, but Zelda's my best friend and I gave her what she wanted. It's not like I had to spill blood to do it.

I heard a gasp on my left and stopped licking to see that Zelda was staring down with a forlorn expression. She looked up with that same sad face.

"I dropped my ice cream," she said and looked back down at it.

"Ah, too bad then," I said with a shrug and took a deliberate lick of my own ice cream cone.

Zelda looked up at me with bright eyes. "Wanna buy me another one?"

"Um, no," I said wryly. "You'll probably just drop it again," I joked.

She frowned. "That's not a nice thing to say. He must've scooped it wrong or something. I would never drop ice cream on purpose!"

I rolled my eyes as she rambled on about how ice cream was a wonderful thing and there were kids out there who would kill for some ice cream and she completely appreciated blah blah blah.

I held out my cone in front of her face with an aggravated sigh. I glanced over to see her staring at it.

"Lick," I said.

She smiled suddenly. "Thanks Link!" And then she moved to take it from me but I pulled it away.

"Hey, I didn't say you could hold it! You'll drop _my_ ice cream and then where will we be?" I said.

"Fine," she grumbled.

I held it out again and she got one lick before I pulled it back.

"Hey! What was that!" she complained.

I grinned. "I changed my mind."

"Link."

"Alright, here." I handed over the cone for her turn at it.

"I have, like, the best best friend in the world!" she said happily, trying to butter me up.

"Uh-huh," I responded.

"Yup, because..." She trailed off and I looked over to see her sheepish smile. "Um..."

My ice cream was on the floor.

**xoxo**

We got back to the car and Zelda was about to start it up as I was walking to my side so I noticed before we got moving.

"Zelda, you have a flat tire," I stated as I got to the passenger window.

"What?" she asked with her brows coming together. I nodded and she cut the engine before getting out again. After circling the car twice in disbelief she said, "No Link, all my tires are flat."

I had noticed as she did but I didn't say anything. I stuck my hands in my pockets. "Hmm."

She sighed and sat down on the parking block that was painted yellow with some graffiti in marker. "I guess we're gonna have to call someone."

I took a seat next to her. "Alright, but who?"

"Definitely not our parents, right?" She looked to me.

"Right. But Saria's still gonna be in school until seven and Malon has to help out her dad."

Zelda bit her lip in thought and stared at her car. "Mido's probably still sick isn't he?" she asked rhetorically, but I nodded anyway. "Alright so then Sheik."

"Don't you have some roadside assistance thing?" I questioned.

She shrugged. "But then my dad would know."

I stared at her. "Okay let's think about this. We can call Sheik, have him pick us up and you'll come around tomorrow after school with new tires – because let's face it, you're going to have to tell your dad about it," I stated smartly.

Zelda grumbled and stretched out her legs. "Right, right," she rolled her eyes. "Stupid pranksters."

We sat around for a few minutes in silence. I slowly pulled out my cell phone and handed it to her.

"Hello?" she asked after a minute. "Yeah, it's me." Pause. "Well, Link and I had some things to take care of and–" She turned a little pink and then glared. "No! What in the world are you talking about? Is that Malon I hear in the background?" she demanded. "Of course not! We–" She waited as whoever it was spoke. "We're at the beach," she said through her teeth. "We decided to cut class and have some fun."

I watched her quietly as she went from happy to annoyed and back again.

"Look, we _really_ need a favor." The person spoke up. "No," she said flatly. "My car's got nothing but flats and we were hoping Sheik could come and pick us up." I guessed she was talking to Malon, but then they switched again. "Sheik? _Please?_" she begged.

There was some quiet as she listened and her brows came together. I moved my arms to rest on my knees.

"Oh," she said, defeated. "Well as soon as you can then? Please? Alright thanks." And then she hung up and handed me the phone.

"What's going on?"

"Sheik's filling in for someone at work for a few hours and then he's swinging by to pick up Saria when she's done with yearbook. Aren't the yearbooks supposed to be done already?" Zelda sighed. "So then he might not be here until after eight to get us."

"And Malon?" I questioned thoughtfully.

"She's getting a ride to her dad's ranch right now. That's why she was with him."

We looked at her car in silence again.

"You sure you don't wanna call your dad or something?" I asked.

She shot me a look and then replied, "You sure you don't wanna call your mom?"

I frowned. "Right."

**xoxo**

We spent the next two hours sitting on a bench and watched people walk by. It was getting late and the sun was starting to set, as well as the evening breeze picking up.

Zelda was hunched over with her elbows on her legs and face in her palms. I was leaning back with my arm across the top of the bench behind her and head bent back in boredom.

"You know Sheik's gonna kill us when we get sand in his car." I chuckled at the thought of him glaring at us while we settled in his ride.

My eyes averted to see her smile a little. "Hmm." Then she shuddered when a breeze passed by.

"Wanna go wait in the car?" I asked.

"No," she grumbled like a kid. "I'm not cold."

I laughed at her. "Okay, sure."

My phone started to ring and I saw Saria's name pop up. "Hey," I answered as Zelda turned to look at me.

"We're on our way now. Probably be there in twenty minutes," she said cheerfully. "You guys sure get into a wonderful mess. Sheik's complaining about how we always have to bail you two out of stuff."

I grinned. "It's not my fault Zelda's such a kid. Someone has to take care of her," I shrugged.

I heard my best friend sit up suddenly and protest.

"Okay, just don't let her kill you before we get there," Saria giggled after hearing the background noise and hung up.

"Retract the claws," I said while putting away my phone. "Saria and Sheik are on their way. They won't want to ride in a car with a murderer."

Zelda shivered again and even though I wanted to say something, it wouldn't stop her from being stubborn so I didn't.

I sighed dramatically. "I don't know why you even brought me if you don't appreciate me being here!" I shot her a saddened look – completely false. "You wanna kill me and then I buy you ice cream and then you wanna kill me again!"

I watched as a smile crept up on her face. She stood up and stretched before offering me a hand. "Because I wouldn't have had fun without you Link!" she laughed happily. "You're my partner in crime!"

I half smiled and got up too. "Yeah, sure. So even if Saria and Malon had been available you'd still choose me?" I asked as we began walking towards the parking lot.

She looked thoughtful. "Well, I'd still want you to be there."

I rolled my eyes. "People pleaser."

"Who else would have given me their ice cream cone?" she smiled.

We got to her car and she leaned back against the driver's door.

"Alright," she paused and collected a serious expression. "Link, if I had to choose between you and _anyone_ else out there..." I waited for a funny punch line as she built up anticipation. "I would still choose _you_."

I stared at her sincere smile, trying to get her to crack and start laughing but she didn't. I started to get a little uncomfortable so I turned to look at the parking lot entrance. "Yeah? Well then maybe we should just get married so I won't have to compete with your future boyfriends and husband," I joked.

I wondered what would have happened if I had said I would still choose her too. Probably some awkward sequence or chick flick kind of scene. But she probably knew it anyway.

**xoxo**

**6-22-10**


	5. Age 22

Summary–AU There are those moments in life where a few words or one sentence changes your entire view on everything you thought you knew. Most often for me they came from my best friend.LinkZelda friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Age 22 – Between being alone and being lonely**

"So you're still going out with him?" Malon asked eagerly. I groaned out loud as their girl talk started in the middle of my living room.

Zelda nodded with a smile. "Yup. Almost six months now. It's wonderful – _he's_ wonderful." I rolled my eyes when her eyes got all bright. "Malon I think he's The One." Both girls squealed excitedly at that.

"Ugh, can't you guys wait till I leave the room?" I complained. "And really, why are you both here at my place if you're not here to see me?" I questioned and got up from the sofa.

I walked to the kitchen as Zelda shushed me and went into detail about her boyfriend. To tell the truth it was an accomplishment that they made it past two or three months, but to jump to marriage and happily ever afters? Well as long as she's happy...

I grabbed a kettle and started boiling water. I took my time getting out the mugs and tea bags, hoping they would be finished by the time I returned to them.

I looked around at the plain kitchen with a few accents that Zelda forced me to get. It was amazing that I could find such a good apartment so soon after high school but there was no way I was going to dorm with a bunch of hormone driven college _kids_.

I was still working part-time and hoping to finish up school by the end of the semester. Then I could get started on my chosen field of study: architecture. Lucky me, my parents tried to help me with my expenses. I could hardly wait to get started on my real passion, and to get paid for it.

Zelda and Malon were taking things a bit slower with school, and they both still lived at home and partied most Saturdays. I shook my head. How our little group managed to stay friends was beyond me. I still hadn't heard from Sheik, Mido or Saria lately.

The whistling started and I grabbed it quick to stop the noise.

While pouring the water I laughed at their talk of the future. I was in no way ready to get married and have a family. Dating was the last thing on my mind since I started the more difficult courses, about two years ago. And you know what? Who knew if I'd ever be ready.

I sighed before lifting the tray of mugs, spoons and sugar.

"I can't believe this Zelda, I'm totally jealous of you for once!" Malon said, leaning back into the sofa.

For a moment things were quiet and I stopped walking as I watched Zelda's face go from surprise to carefully indifferent. Malon's head snapped up at the tense air and her eyes went wide. I slowly began my trek to the coffee table again.

"Oh Zelda! That's not what I meant to say! It just came out like that by accident! You know I don't think–" She stopped short and looked up at me for help when I gently put down the tray.

I plopped down on the sofa next to my best friend and slung an arm around her shoulder carelessly. "So are you ladies done gossiping about things that don't concern you? Unless you were talking about me and how handsome and awesome I am of course. If so, then please feel free to continue," I grinned at them.

Malon smiled gratefully but we'd probably talk about this later. There was a small pause before Zelda finally turned to look at me as well with a small upwards twitch of the lips.

"Link, the only thing that could make you more awesome is if you got us something to eat," Zelda said sweetly.

I groaned and Malon laughed at me.

**xoxo**

Zelda left early to get ready for a date and I was stuck cleaning up with Malon. Not that I don't enjoy her company and all but I knew we were going to have a talk.

I grabbed the plates that had been laid out with pie that Mido's mom had sent me a few days ago. Now it was completely gone and I didn't have dessert for tonight.

"Link, have you talked to Zelda lately?" Malon asked me as she grabbed the empty beer bottles.

I cringed. "You know how she gets. She says a few words and then maneuvers her way around the subject." We walked to the kitchen and dumped everything in the sink. And being the wonderful friend she is, Malon started to wash the dishes for me as I watched.

"You're her best friend Link! You've known her longer and better than any of us! I would think after all these years she could open up to _you_ about all the real issues bothering her," Malon said, scrubbing away.

I rolled my eyes and hopped up onto the counter. "What makes you think she's being bothered by anything? Things are going great for her. Her dad's making more money than ever, she sees her mom around holidays, doing almost perfect in classes and now she's got a boyfriend that'll probably give her the rock."

Malon snorted at my way of referring to a marriage proposal. I chuckled to myself as well.

"Didn't you see how things went an hour ago? She turned cold at a few words," the redhead kept on.

"Oh come on, it was what you said. Anyone would have flinched at that. You hit a sore spot, Malon."

She started scrubbing more with her brows coming together. A plate was loudly placed into the dish rack to dry. I felt bad for making her feel guiltier now.

I sighed and jumped down, moving to push her away from my cutlery before she tried to stab me. She moved aside after a tiny protest and I finished up.

"She'll talk when she wants, Malon. I know I'm her best friend, but that doesn't mean she can't keep some things to herself," I spoke softly to the girl who was standing awkwardly behind me.

I heard as she let out a breath and moved away. "Alright. I hope that guy does her some good, she really deserves it."

"Really? And what about you? You, like, stopped dating last year. What happened to that?" I glanced over my shoulder as she casually walked around the table and sat down at it.

"Oh, you know. I decided to have an arranged marriage. Daddy's going to help me pick out someone to see if we'd be a good– Link, are you okay?" she jumped as I dropped a few utensils on the floor in shock.

"You? Arranged marriage?" I stared at her.

Malon stared back at me blankly, waiting for the obvious question.

"As long as you're sure," I said instead and turned back to the sink.

**xoxo**

There was no slamming of doors. There weren't loud gasps of pain. I didn't even know she was in my apartment or how long she had been there until I had woken up at around one a.m. to go to the bathroom. On my way back to my bedroom I was sharply pulled out of my dream-like state when I heard the muffled sounds coming from my living room.

The only person that would come around this late or stayed the night often enough was Zelda. She claimed it was for various reasons – her house was lonely with her dad out most of the time, my place was closer to campus (and it was), or she was just using me as her personal alarm clock (she still had trouble getting up on time these days).

"Zelda?" I asked through the darkness and moved towards a light switch. The sounds stopped abruptly before the light went on.

She sat on the floor against the front door with her knees pulled up and arms wrapped around them. Her face was completely drenched in tears and she winced at the brightness that flooded the room.

"Zelda, what happened?" I asked, walking closer in quick steps. I crouched onto one knee and waited.

She looked up at me while her mouth was hidden behind her arms. "He broke up with me," she said simply. I was about to move in for a hug but she went on. "I was busy making plans for the future and getting all giggly and excited but he didn't see any of that." Her face was turned down and buried for a second. "I can't believe I sat here five hours ago and talked to Malon about all these stupid plans!" she berated herself.

"Zelda, here, come on. Let's go sit on the sofa and–" I tried to say.

"It's all a lie, Link!" she shouted after lifting her head up for a moment. "There is no one out there for me!" she yelled through the sobs. "Soulmates and life partners and all of it." I stared blankly. "There _isn't_ someone out there for everyone."

I stared at her, not quite sure what to do. After all the break-ups and disappointments Zelda's been through she never liked to cry so much. She did every once in a while and called it 'healthy' to do so but she didn't like to dwell on things. Instead of locking herself inside for a week and watching sad romance movies with a box of tissues she was always out and about the next day. She never even liked to let me see her cry.

"It'll be okay, Zel'. Don't worry about it."

Her head, which had dipped back toward her knees pulled up to look at me but I doubt she could see much through all the tears. "I don't want to be alone forever, Link," she whispered, and if I wasn't so close I probably wouldn't have heard her.

I carefully sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She caved quickly and leaned on me, still crying. "But you're not alone. I'm here. I've always been here."

She cried more. "Link, you're an idiot," she glanced up at me. "You'll find someone. You'll get married, have kids. You're going to leave me some day too." And with that I found she was clutching onto my shirt like she was drowning.

I couldn't think of anything to do. No one wanted to see Zelda hurt, and I would be the first to beat up anyone that tried to break her but she always dealt with everything by herself. I never had the chance to play that best friend card. I rarely was allowed to comfort her.

We were quiet while she tried, and failed, to calm down. I rubbed her arm with the hand I was holding her with and leaned my cheek on her hair.

I kept thinking of something, anything. What came out of my mouth didn't get to go through the filter in my head. Luckily they weren't harsh words and actually helped.

"Psh, me get married, Zel'?" I started, becoming horrified at my rampant mouth. It didn't stop there. "Trust me, that's not gonna happen unless...wait."

I turned to her and it made her look up at me. She wasn't sobbing anymore, probably from the conversational tone I had going on. It made things seem so normal.

"You're looking for someone to marry right?" I asked rhetorically and pointed a finger in realization. "That's right!" I answered myself. "So if you need someone to marry and I could only marry you then it's settled!" I grinned.

Zelda stared at me for a minute. I didn't let my unease show and kept up the grin. Finally she smiled so brightly it was like the sun rose in this one apartment.

She moved her arms to encircle my body and leaned back onto me.

I wanted to start on how she was only twenty-two and there was still so much time to try and find that perfect person. She shouldn't be worrying about it so much right now.

But I didn't. It was more than that, I knew. She wasn't being conceited in wanting someone's attention or in a hurry to settle down. After her parent's divorced it threw her for a loop. She was completely lost. She was still lost. Zelda was just really good at smiling and saying everything was fine.

"You're right, Link." I glanced down at her but only saw the top of her head. "I'm not alone." I started to smile. "I'm lonely."

With the smile gone now I tried to hold on and convey the things I couldn't say to her.

**xoxo**

**I would** like to thank those of you reading (and reviewing). Don't worry about my earlier comment at the end of chapter two! I was only expressing slight dismay at the underwhelming response. It doesn't mean I'm crying my eyes out, waiting for more people. I'm a picky reader myself these days. I have been messing with the summary to see if I can capture the interest of more people.

Let me take this time to notably thank those of you that have reviewed with good intentions...

Wow...thanks to who apparently has reviewed chapters 1-4. I did not realize until just now. There is **WritersBlock XD**, who also has reviewed two chapters. And going in order from the beginning there is **Linkandzel**, **lv1s**, **TheFinalCountdown**, and **Dash Handsome**.

I don't like mentioning people specifically without a personal reason these days (especially because now I'm wondering what would happen if I thanked someone by name and they changed their pen name in the future? _awkward..._).

Anyway here is an update I'm sure you would like to know. I have finished seven chapters, but it might take one or two more to wrap things up. Chapter 6 should be up in about a week. Thanks for reading!

6-30-10

Finally! Time to post! I should probably wait until morning but I have a long day ahead of me so I would rather do this now. Thanks for reading!

7-1-10

2:15am


	6. One Month Later

Summary–AU There are those moments in life where a few words or one sentence changes your entire view on everything you thought you knew. Most often for me they came from my best friend.LinkZelda friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Age 22 (One Month Later) – Epiphanies are like being hit by a train or a slap to the face**

I glanced up unsurely as Zelda sat at the workshop table looking at something with disinterest. She picked up a screw that had been on the table and stared at it.

"You really didn't need to come by and help me with this," Alfonzo said as he walked into the room.

I shook my head. "It was no problem. I've got nothing going on this week." I looked back at my best friend. "Thanks for letting Zelda tag along. She wanted to hang out and I felt really bad about not having the time."

My mentor cut me off. "You scratch my back, I scratch yours."

I gave a weird look at his choice of words. Even though I knew Zelda heard it, she didn't burst into laughter like I thought she would. I sighed at this but didn't bother looking her way.

"Yeah... Let's get to work."

We were currently in the workshop of my favorite professor and mentor. He had asked a few days earlier if I could help with a project he had going on – knowing I had pretty deft and steady hands, and also being his favorite student.

Apparently he was trying to make an armoire for his wife because lately she had been complaining to herself about there not being enough closet space. He wanted to keep the project a secret until it was finished as a surprise for her.

It almost made me laugh to see my older and wiser teacher seem so dedicated to something other than his work. I thought the entire thing was simple enough but then he showed me the detailed carving he wanted me to try my hand at.

I only finished some simple designs on the small leg pieces when I heard Zelda sigh heavily.

"Is there something wrong with your friend?" Alfonzo whispered from behind me.

I looked back as he was measuring a slab of wood. I shrugged.

He paused and looked up at me blankly. "Zelda, are you okay?" he then asked her directly.

I wanted to slap my head at his approach.

"No," she responded miserably. "I am a loser with nothing to live for." She put her head down on the table.

Alfonzo continued his work, but still concentrated on the conversation he was trying to strike up. "Why?"

There was a pause and I could hear the gears in her head working. Slowly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zelda lift her head back up and look at him.

"My boyfriend of six months broke up with me a few weeks ago," she said frankly.

I almost dropped something. Why was it so easy for him to talk to her? Why was I, her best friend, such a chicken sometimes? My brows came together as I thought this over while continuing my task on autopilot.

"Any reason why or...?" Alfonzo questioned.

"We weren't–" She stopped abruptly, almost making me stop as well. "He didn't think we were compatible," Zelda sighed into her palm.

"And you did?"

"I thought so... Now I don't know." And she laid her head down again, this time sideways so she could stare at us.

There was an interlude where nothing was spoken as Alfonzo began using the electric saw to finally cut those pieces up. I waited a bit before asking about the doors. I wanted to grumble like a four year old when he showed me a sheet. Why he couldn't choose a simple, box-like shape for his wife was beyond me.

"Were you in love with him?"

The question startled Zelda and I, and also caused us both to look up at Alfonzo as he kept on working.

"Um, no," Zelda mumbled. "But I think given time I would have. He didn't feel the same way though, obviously," she rolled her eyes.

"So then it's a good thing you guys broke up," he said as he paused to look at his craftsmanship. Then he looked up at her. "Right?"

I glanced over to find she was taken-aback by his words.

"Um..."

Alfonzo stared at her and put his hands on his hips. "Well, because it would be a waste of your time and energy to be strung along. And at least he didn't go behind your back and cheat on you." He was thoughtful. "Actually he was pretty honorable about how he ended things then."

"But I thought–" she started up, ready to argue something. "I...don't know what I thought," she deflated easily.

"So why would you want to be with someone who doesn't want you?"

Her eyes widened at the words and I was afraid she would start crying any second.

"Doesn't want me...?" she whispered to herself as she picked her head off the table. And though her eyes were getting teary she smiled for him. "That makes sense."

Alfonzo didn't pretend to be oblivious to her reaction – he smiled sadly and shook his head. "You shouldn't want someone just because you want them. You should want them because they want you too," he said softly and quickly averted his eyes.

Zelda nodded and got off the stool. She grabbed the only thing within the perimeter to use, the roll of paper towels, and ripped off a sheet to cover her face for a moment while soaking up any stray tears.

I had completely stopped my task and watched her in worry the whole time. After a few seconds I felt someone turn my head back to my hands. I quickly looked up to find Alfonzo walking back to his spot.

"Link, do you mind heading in the house and getting us something to drink?" he asked suddenly, just as I was getting back to work.

I sighed and put everything down on the table. "Sure." I glanced at Zelda as she walked back to her stool without looking up.

"And there's this cake in the fridge...cut a few slices, would ya?"

I nodded without groaning aloud and left the room, headed out into the backyard and then into his house through the unlocked back door. His wife was a teacher herself, though not a college professor, and was at work.

I was staring into the refrigerator and wondering how I was going to carry three full glasses and three plates out there by myself. It seemed that I would have to either get creative and end up making a mess, or just make multiple trips. Neither was appealing.

I finally just cut three slices of cake and put them on one plate with two others stacked underneath it, and held the jug of iced tea in the other hand. Then it was only one more trip back for forks and cups.

As I came walking up to the workshop door that was only slightly ajar I could hear Zelda and Alfonzo talking. For some reason I stopped and felt like I was interrupting so I waited and listened.

"...how?" she asked. I hadn't heard what they were talking about but then she went on to clarify. "How do you find that person? What are you supposed to look for?"

There was a pause and I could hear the scratch of a pencil across wood before he responded.

"You should just _stop_ looking."

Through the inch crack of space I could see Zelda's jaw drop.

"What? But–"

There was a heavy sigh. "Look Zelda, I don't know you really well. I'm not sure what's going on with you right now or what's happened to you in the past. And I don't want to go about spouting advice that you won't listen to or even worse, is completely wrong for you..." Another pause, and I guessed he was thinking carefully.

"No one wants me," she said abruptly before he could continue. "I'm afraid that in the end no one is going to want me."

"You don't know that. In fact someone probably does right now and you just don't know. Maybe you aren't looking as hard as you think, or looking too hard anyway." I could feel his shrug without having to see. "In any case, for the time being you really don't need a boyfriend, you just need a really good friend."

Zelda still didn't say anything back. She was too busy tracing a finger in random circles on the table while listening.

"And who knows, maybe that friend will turn into your best friend. Then one day you'll find that best friend is exactly who you needed – not _wanted_."

Nothing was said for a few moments so I decided to make my entrance before they started up again. My arm was aching a little from holding the jug of iced tea.

Just as I was pushing open the door with my side Alfonzo spoke up one last time.

"Sometimes best friends are exactly what you need." And I saw him smile wistfully down into his work.

**xoxo**

The rest of the day got better from there. Maybe it was the cake, or maybe the heart to heart I had witnessed, but Zelda stopped moping around (something that Malon and Saria had been trying to help her with for weeks now).

She had tried to help out and ended up nearly cutting off all our fingers. Then she smiled sheepishly and was confined to using a pencil – a very _dull_ pencil.

I dropped Zelda off at home later in the day and headed back to my apartment. Even after things got better my mind kept wandering back to Alfonzo's words.

I mean, I must be thinking about it so much for no reason but..._I'm_ her best friend.

I fell asleep in the midst of trying to imagine what it would be like if Zelda and I started dating.

No one else could possibly know how amazing of a person she was but me. I'd known her since we were five, completely innocent and ignorant. I had been with her throughout the whole time until now, getting into trouble and sharing all the inside jokes that came with it.

I always acknowledged that she was a very good looking example of a female and I had accepted that girls in high school and college were trying to flirt with me for more than my intellect. I just never really put us together as some kind of couple, though I had heard a whole lot of gossip and rumors throughout the years.

But here's the thing: I could _never_ be what Zelda needed. I was hardly a good best friend. Usually I felt like I was failing her.

**xoxo**

I forgot about all those things for two days until Zelda came by my apartment while I was writing the first draft of a paper and trying to make myself dinner at the same time.

"Honey, I'm home!" I heard a voice calling from my apartment door.

I tried to glance up and carefully pour the sauce over my pasta at the same time. "Zelda?" I asked.

She laughed while walking to my kitchenette area. "Who else would it be? Are you giving out keys to _other_ girls?" she joked while setting her bag on the table and walking up next to me. "Started on dinner already, huh?"

I turned down the stove and moved things around a bit before putting down the spoon and turning to her. "What're you doing here? I thought you had a midterm to study for."

Zelda grinned. "You're confusing me with Malon." She turned and grabbed two plates from a shelf.

"Hmm, maybe," I mumbled thoughtfully and turned back to my dinner.

"And, guess what I brought us!"

She didn't say anything else so I had to look up. Zelda was standing next to her bag where she had pulled out a bottle of wine. I raised a brow. She presented it like a prize on a game show.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked with my brows coming together. I went about turning off the stove and emptying the pan into both plates.

"Dad got it as a gift and shoved it to the back of a cabinet. I figured he didn't want it. Especially since he really doesn't drink wine," she smiled and set it down.

"Zel' we can't get drunk. I've still gotta finish this paper and we've both got class tomorrow," I complained childishly while we set up the table.

I witnessed her roll her eyes. "It's just a sophisticated drink with dinner. You can just take one glass full! Or half!" she said persuasively and went for the wine glasses _she_ had gotten me.

I sighed in resignation as I sat down and she opened the bottle. I had pretty good tolerance so one glass wouldn't hurt, right?

Within the hour I had somehow been coerced into finishing the entire bottle with her. But Zelda was obviously not ready to end the fun so she went and grabbed the bottle of whiskey in one of my cabinets left behind from a poker game we had with the others over a month ago. She challenged me to do shots while playing video games.

Needless to say I didn't get to finish that paper and Zelda didn't bother going home.

It was almost nine, which was really early for a bedtime (also meaning we had started drinking pretty early too). I sat on the floor chewing on some left over garlic bread while Zelda was lying on my sofa staring at the ceiling.

"I can't believe you," I mumbled while the TV showed characters replaying their actions.

"Two to tango, Link," she replied sleepily.

I saw the whiskey bottle out of the corner of my eye. It still had more than a few drops left so I grabbed it and chugged what remained.

"Link, carry me to my bed," Zelda said into the couch when she turned over.

"No," I said back. "I won't make it to class tomorrow," I moaned and bowed my head.

She moaned too. "C'mon Link. You love me, don'tcha?"

I paused in my self-pity and glanced over my shoulder at her.

After a few minutes I managed to open my mouth and say, "Don't puke on my couch."

I heard her start laughing into the cushions. I grinned to myself.

"Hey Zel', you think Alfonzo was right?" I asked.

She lifted up her head to stare at me with a confused, and slightly dazed, expression. "With what?"

"Where he said you need to stop looking for a b-f and just look for a best friend," I stated.

Zelda still looked confused. "I thought _you_ were my best friend. I need another one?"

I laughed outright. Then I stopped and thought about this. "Was that what he said?" I questioned.

"That's what _you_ just said!" she replied and propped her head up with her hand.

I shook my head. "Did I?" A fragment of my thoughts was trying to tell me we were making no sense because of the alcohol but I didn't quite hear it at the time.

"Didn't you?" she asked back.

"So I'm your only best friend?" I asked worriedly.

"Ya."

We sat in silence and I looked back at the TV. Suddenly my train of thought came back to me and I turned around to look at her again.

"I meant, he said a best friend could be a good boyfr..." I realized what I was saying before I could finish.

But she figured it out anyway. Maybe she wasn't as drunk as I thought?

"Hm...oh yeah! He did say that," Zelda said with a smile. "I don't know. I didn't think about it too much," she said cheerfully.

Because I was intoxicated I couldn't help the obviously disappointed feeling. "So you don't want to go out?" I asked dejectedly.

"Go out where?"

"Go out with me!" I rolled my eyes.

Zelda stared and then moved to sit up. "Go out...with you?"

"Isn't that what I–" I stopped my joking tone and understood the gravity of our conversation.

"Link?" she asked, making me look at her. "You want to go out?"

"Uh...I...don't know?" I said. "I mean, I was just wondering about what he said!" I tried to recover the situation in vain.

"But Link, you don't like me," she stated.

It brought out annoyance. "Who said? You're, like, assuming things, Zel'!" I chided.

She looked up in thought. "So Link likes me?"

"Hey, I didn't say that!" I complained again. "I was just saying that Alfonzo said that–" And then I started to lose focus on what the hell I was saying. "That-that best friends make good boyfriends or something..." Was that what I meant? "You think he's right?"

Zelda glanced at me. "I don't know. I've never done it. Have you?"

"Well seeing as you've been my only best friend, no."

"But I guess he could be right."

"Maybe."

We were quiet and I was getting tired.

"We should try that," Zelda said suddenly, "To see if he's right!" She smiled down at me.

I jerked awake at her voice. "Oh. Yeah, we should."

I stood up and stretched. Zelda stumbled to her feet and walked down the hall.

"I'm going to sleep," she called over her shoulder.

"'Kay. Me too," I said back.

**xoxo**

I woke up to witness the clock go from 9:59 to 10:00, which was exactly when my first class of the day started. It was torture knowing the lecture was beginning and I couldn't even get out of bed.

I rolled over and remembered parts of last night's conversation and hoped Zelda wouldn't remember at all.

When I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom I saw Zelda come out.

"Long night," I commented.

"Yeah," she said as she moved aside. "We party too hard, Link," she smiled.

As I closed the bathroom door behind me I was pretty sure she didn't even know we had had a potentially awkward talk about dating while drunk.

Good for me, I guess.

Now if I could figure out why seeing her made me have a mild heart attack it would be great.

**xoxo**

**Here is** chapter six. Great of me to have actually have a fic almost done when I start posting it right? Then I can update on a regular schedule, with just enough time in between to hopefully keep you in suspense. Next chapter is already complete and will be out in about a week. Which means I have about two weeks to get started on chapter eight, which will hopefully be the end.

To : I understand your hopes for the couple here but Link can't tell Zelda he loves her yet because...well he doesn't love her yet. He's barely just starting to like her as more than a platonic friend. Sorry if things are moving too slow for you.

Thank you for reading, any responses you give to the fanfic and your support.

7-8-10

12:26pm

EDIT:

Sorry, but something I'd like you all to check out if you can is an AMV (anime music video) I finished about a month ago. It's uploaded on youtube and I'm crazy happy about it. Just have a look and maybe tell me what you think. Take out the parentheses and it should work.

Link: /watch?v=M5ThUPFmFLY

7-8-10

6:10pm


	7. Right Under Your Nose

Summary–AU There are those moments in life where a few words or one sentence changes your entire view on everything you thought you knew. Most often for me they came from my best friend.LinkZelda friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Age 22 – It's always right under your nose**

We didn't bring up that drunken conversation ever again. A day passed. Then a week. Then it was almost a month.

Link was busy with school and work so I stopped dropping by as much or bothering him between classes. Malon and Sheik asked if something was wrong with us – did we have a fight or something.

I laughed and brushed it off like they were crazy because Link and I rarely, maybe even never, fought for real.

But to be honest, I was a little off since we had that talk about dating our best friend, i.e. _each other_. I'm guessing Link never would have brought it up otherwise. Sometimes he's too smart for me to figure out.

When Professor Darunia wasn't looking I dropped my head onto my desk and closed my eyes. Still an hour of class left and I didn't need to hear the lecture to know I had twenty pages to write when I got home.

The girl on my left looked at me with a questioning gaze. I half shrugged. Before I could fall asleep I sat up suddenly and grabbed my books to shove into my bag.

No way was I going to sit there another minute when I could just leave and actually get started on that paper. I could get more done out of the classroom than in it.

So I left with Darunia only giving me a short glance. I was glad he wasn't one of those professors that would try to confront students in front of the whole class.

I made quick strides down the hallway. The exit was only a few meters out of reach but there were always people milling around the halls and near classroom doors.

With my luck (and idiocy) I wasn't paying enough attention and someone came walking out of a room just as I ducked around a group of people so I knocked right into him.

"Zelda?" he asked while leaning down to pick up his things.

"Link," I said, straightening up. "Um, hey. What're you doing..." My question trailed off as I realized how stupid I sounded. I know for sure I looked stupid.

"I just got out of class," he said while grabbing the last piece of paper and standing.

We stood there for a minute until it became clear that people were dodging around us awkwardly.

"So...you headed home?" I asked him while subtly making my way to the exit. He got the idea and followed along.

"Oh, yeah! I'm done for the day. What about you?" he questioned with a quick glance that I barely caught.

"Mmhmm," I responded shortly.

This is what we had turned into: cardboard cutouts with simple phrases and multifunctional responses.

I sighed as we passed through the doorway.

"So you–" I turned abruptly as Link stopped himself from saying something.

"What?" I said right after.

He looked at me a second. "Oh, I was gonna ask if you wanted to come over but..."

But things were way too awkward between us right now? But you regret suggesting we should date? But you're hoping _I_ forget about you suggesting we date? Or maybe he meant–

"But I'm guessing you still have that paper to finish," he picked up where he left off.

I stopped walking and blinked. "Oh." I shifted the bag on my shoulder. "Wait, how did you know about that paper?"

Link shrugged. "Mido was texting me the other day while you guys were in the library. He was telling me about how you were moaning over unopened books." He chuckled as the image came to mind.

I smiled. "Well...yeah, I haven't actually started it yet. How very considerate of you."

His eyes laughed with him. "Actually I'm out of food too. And although I can survive on water and crackers...it isn't the best thing to entertain guests with."

"Now I'm a guest?" I asked jokingly. "What happened to us getting married?"

The comfortable atmosphere dried up quicker than a puddle in the desert.

We stood around quietly as our smiles faded.

"Um, ok, gotta go, Link! Bye!" I said while turning and practically jogged to my car.

**xoxo**

So maybe I spent two hours half-heartedly taking a stab at my paper. And then maybe I got bored and lonely and there was nothing on TV. And who could blame me for grabbing my bag and keys and deciding I should go out and get something to eat?

But honestly, I can't give a reason why I was suddenly traipsing up the stairs to get to Link's apartment holding plastic bags. Yup, no excuse there.

"Zelda?" he asked in surprise after opening the door.

I smiled sheepishly. "Hi, Link. Hungry?" I questioned and held up a bag for him to see.

He stared blankly a few moments before a slow smile spread across his lips and he shook his head to himself. "Of course." And then he moved aside so I could walk in. "Though I'm surprised you didn't just use your own key to get in."

I didn't respond because I definitely remembered what happened the last time I let myself in.

I dropped the bags onto the counter and Link closed the textbook that was at the kitchen table.

"Sorry, did I interrupt you?" I asked while looking into a bag to avoid his gaze.

"Nah, it's okay," he said and got some plates. "Takeout? Really?" Link said with a grin. "Not going to cook me anything?"

I shot him a look. Everyone knew cooking wasn't my strong point. I could only prepare things that came with direct instructions. Except for baking. Baking was kind of easy. Just mix it together and shove it in the oven.

As we methodically emptied all the containers and took our own portions onto our plates I started wondering... Why was I acting so weird around Link anyway? It wasn't like I liked him or something! This whole thing was ridiculous! And he didn't like me either – he'd told me so!

Maybe I should just talk to him about it, clear the air and whatever. Then we could go back to hanging out like normal.

"You mind watching this show while we eat?" Link asked as he picked up his plate and glass of water from the counter and walked towards the sofa.

"Mmgh," I said through a mouthful of food.

He shot me a grin over his shoulder and sat down.

I opened the fridge to get myself something to drink and spotted a few bottles of beer sitting around innocently. I shuddered at the sight and then grabbed a can of soda.

"What are we watching?" I asked after I got comfortable next to him on the sofa. I pulled up my feet and then resumed eating.

Link was too engrossed to even attempt a proper description so I tried to get interested in it.

After a few minutes I said, "Link. They're _fishing_."

He only nodded next to me.

I turned back to the TV. Ten minutes went by.

I shrieked in surprise and almost dumped my plate of food onto my lap. "Link, that was–"

"Shh," he said without looking at me.

I had to calm myself down while trying to ignore the television altogether. But after seeing a shark almost pull off someone's arm I wasn't sure I could finish eating so I got up and dumped the rest of my food. I was almost done anyway.

When I sat back down Link moved from resting his elbows on his knees to lean back into the couch. I sunk in closer to him as a result. I stopped fighting it and placed my head on his shoulder. I knew I shouldn't stay the night. I still had to get more done on that paper. The night was still young.

But I closed my eyes for a quick nap. Link let me sleep on him until the show ended, which only took another fifteen minutes.

I shrugged awake when he reached for the remote control on the coffee table.

"Hey..." I yawned, causing the word to drag out.

"Hey, yourself. What happened to starting that paper?" he questioned while getting up with his plate and glass.

I watched as Link started doing the dishes. I waited, because I really thought it was time we had a conversation about what had happened the last time I was here. But Link seemed to be taking his time and I realized I was chicken when I didn't do a thing to speed up the process.

I laid my arms and chin on top of the sofa to watch as he went the extra mile to dry every drop of water from every plate, cup and fork.

"How's Aryll?" I asked in an attempt to break the silence.

Link shrugged. "She'll be graduating in a few months. But she's going to university in another city. They have a really good program on archeology, or so she said."

"Aw, your baby sister's like seriously all grown up," I smiled. "How far away will she be?"

"Just two hours."

"Worlds away."

"Exactly."

I thought a moment. "But she probably took it hard when you moved out, right? She's already used to you being far away enough that phones are necessary."

"Yeah, and she makes really good use of those phone calls," he grumbled.

I laughed out loud. It was true that when Link moved out at eighteen Aryll – thirteen at the time – used any excuse possible to call her only sibling. She used to call about homework instead of just asking their parents. Then she called to talk about movies and music and TV shows. Nowadays she called to bother him about not having a girlfriend and complain about her last year of high school. Oh the circle of life.

I sighed to myself as I remembered high school.

Link shot a look over his shoulder when he heard me. I straightened up when I saw he was finally done with the dishes and was trying to occupy his time with tidying up. When there was finally nothing in the kitchen to be done he glanced around again.

"Are you trying to avoid me?" I asked suddenly. "Because I gotta tell ya...it's hard to do when I'm actually within five feet and in your own apartment."

He sighed and threw the dish towel onto the counter before making his way back to the sofa I sat on. After plopping down at the other end of it he looked at me.

"I wasn't avoiding you," he said with a straight face.

I rolled my eyes as I turned to face him. "Link, we both know why we can barely look at each other. Why don't we just talk about it like adults and then move on?" And before I could utter another word he jumped right in.

"Zelda, I'm sorry," Link said seriously and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees in the typical guy pose.

I blinked. "For what exactly?" I asked carefully.

"For everything," he sighed, placing his chin atop his knuckles and staring at the blank TV.

"Like...?" I probed, leaning in to try and get eye contact.

He turned to stare down at his hands. "For not–" I could see his face twist up with emotion. "Not being a good enough friend to you."

Now I was staring blankly. "What?"

"I mean, after all those years, after everything that happened...I just could never help you through things or just be there for you. Your parents getting divorced? All the random guys you've dated that didn't deserve it? And every time I just looked at it and backed away, telling myself it wasn't my business to tell you what to do. I should have given my input, told you when I didn't think you were doing the right things." He paused. "I should have seen you were so hurt when your parents–" He stopped himself, as if just realizing the sensitive issues he'd trekked upon.

I was still staring with my mouth slightly agape. What was he talking about? I was so confused.

He still wouldn't look up at me, and instead glared harder down at the floor and his hands that now hung between his legs. "I feel like..." I waited for him to go on but the pause felt so long. Almost a minute went by and he kept struggling with what to say exactly, if the moving of his lips was any indication. "Sometimes I think maybe I'm partly the reason you're so messed up."

I blinked, taken aback. Well wasn't that a nice way to put it?

"You don't exactly have a healthy relationship with your parents. Or with the guys you go out with. You don't even confide in me or the rest of the gang like we wish you would." He sighed in a depressed way. "And maybe it's kind of my fault. I'm the best friend and I've known you for forever. Even though I knew things were never stable at home or that you got the best grades because you were secretly hoping to impress your parents I never brought it up."

Now my mouth really dropped open. How in the world did he know these things? Then again, he wasn't my best friend for nothing. Even though he seemed to think–

"I'm pretty much a failure," he said with a shrug and then slouched back into the sofa.

I was facing him completely after having brought my legs onto the sofa earlier in his speech.

Link thought it was his fault I was messed up? And let's face it, I am. He's right about that one thing. But seriously, how could he think he wasn't a good friend to me? He was my best friend for a reason!

"What...are you talking about?!" I shrieked, startling us both. "Link, how long have you felt like this?" I asked, pressing one hand into the cushion between us so I could lean towards him. "Why would you think any of that?"

He shrugged half-heartedly and didn't say anything, still wouldn't even look at me.

I watched him carefully and tried to gather my words. It didn't look like I could just yell at him that he was wrong and everything would be okay from there.

"Link," I started slowly, and then smiled as I spoke again. "You're my best friend for a reason." I wanted to laugh but he looked so sad and it was making me sad too. "And...you didn't do anything wrong. You _were_ always there for me."

He was barely listening to a word I said.

"Like..." A light bulb went off. "Like when you came over to my house that day and caught me making out with whatshisname! You got all angry and looked like you were going to throw him out the door yourself if he wouldn't just leave. You tried to talk some sense into me and–"

"Yeah, after watching you date half a dozen guys in two months and seeing you run off to hang out with these new crowds of people I _finally_ decided to try and talk to you. I should have said something earlier. I should have asked more about what was going on with your parents," he muttered and folded his arms solemnly.

I sighed. "You did things for me that you didn't need to. Things that most friends would just turn away from. Remember that day a few weeks before we graduated high school?" And I imagined we both had that look in our eyes as we remembered, but I didn't wait for an answer. "You cut school with me even though you still had a paper to do."

He looked surprised and his arms loosened. "How'd you know about that?" he asked with only a quick glance at me.

I smiled. "Malon tried to scold me a few days later. She said you were staying up late those two nights after our adventure just to get it done on time," I shrugged, though still feeling guilty. "I just never told you because...I knew you'd deny it and wouldn't let me feel bad. You would just say it wasn't my fault; that you had _chosen _to come with me." I grinned at him even though he wouldn't look. "It's amazing to have a friend that would do that! But I know I was immature to drag you along and waste your time."

I knew he wanted to protest the last point by the way his lips twitched but he didn't bother and shrugged again.

I stared down and moved back into the armrest. "But you know what? Maybe those are just trivial things that don't mean much in friendships. Lots of great friendships don't have people doing outrageous stunts for each other or dramatic talks over who's dating who." I looked at the television thoughtfully as he sulked. "But bad things happen to everyone. And just about everyone wants someone there to comfort them. And you _were_ there."

My gaze went back to him and I stared hard, hoping he would finally just look at me. And stop feeling so bad about this. I was not a messed up person because of him.

I sighed. "Remember that night when I came back after my last date?" I questioned and it was obvious he did with the way he stiffened for a moment. "You were there," I said again. "And not just because I happened to come to your apartment but...Link?"

I stopped trying to get him to look at me and just got up and moved to sit on the coffee table right in front of him. I grabbed his hands so he'd stop being all twitchy. I may have also pulled his arms out of their sockets a little just to get him to finally look at me. But it worked. He was staring at me like someone had just died and he didn't know what to do.

"You didn't have to say anything. You could have just sat with me the whole night on the floor while I cried like a complete idiot. Just _being there_ was comfort enough," I said seriously. "But then you even went further than that. You managed to say something that cheered me up, even got me to smile. You are so much better at that than you realize."

We stared each other down – no smiles, no twitches. Then I got up and moved onto the sofa to give him a hug to try and reassure him.

"Zelda, I'm so sorry," he still whispered into my hair as he half turned to wrap his arms around me too. "I'm just so sorry that things turned out this way for you and that you think things won't ever work out for you in the future."

I realized he did start crying. I tried not to let his words cut through me at first. What good would it do to start getting sad over my pathetic behavior and life? But I was trying way too hard to hold it in and I still wasn't completely over my last failed relationship. I managed to keep the sobs out of my voice when I replied.

"You're not the reason I'm 'messed up', Link. It was all me. Okay?" I asked. "Please stop worrying about it. I'll find a way out. Don't worry." I was trying to convince him when even I wasn't convinced.

We sat like that for a while until he stopped crying and I stopped crying. I even tried to discreetly dry my damp cheeks on the sleeve of my shirt.

"I'll be okay, Link. I will," I said after all those moments passed. "You are a really good friend. You proved it just now. You hurt just because I hurt. But I don't want things to be like that," I said while he listened.

His view was way too skewed. Link was an amazing person. He was there when you wanted and there when you needed. He didn't ask for favors or panic in stressful situations.

And after having to try and convince him of what a great person and friend he was...it made me realize it too. I guess I took a lot of things for granted, especially him and the rest of our circle.

I was always too busy looking for something out there that I didn't quite notice and appreciate what I had. Link was so loyal to me, almost childishly. So maybe Alfonzo was right...

"Sometimes best friends are exactly what you need," I mumbled to myself as I stared down at Link's shirt.

"What?" he asked immediately, though he probably heard it.

I pulled back and placed a soft kiss on his cheek that meant more than I could say. "I should get home and finish that paper," I said while slowly rising to my feet. I was thankful the room was dim from when we had been watching TV. The only lights on were from the kitchen and a lamp on an end table.

I swiped at my face a few times while grabbing my bag off the kitchen table.

"I'll see you later, Link," I said while walking to the door.

"Yeah. See you," he responded without getting up.

**xoxo**

**To be** quite honest, I used to be that friend. I know exactly how Link feels. When it hurt you, it hurt me. Enough to make me cry over it. I was such a sensitive person.

Zelda needed to grow up a bit. In this story she was so immature and careless, mostly since the problems with her parents started getting worse. I needed her to open her eyes to the possibility of Link being more than a friend but I'm not a fan of rushing or forcing things. It usually puts me in a dilemma because real people rarely ever change after a certain point in their life and I guess I aim too high for realism sometimes.

Anyway I'll be updating this chapter soon. And unfortunately this is the last finished chapter I have right now. I was working on chapter 8 but had to put it on pause while I sorted through some personal projects but I'll be back to writing fanfiction and just whatever fiction by Saturday. Hopefully I'll have chapter eight (which I also hope is the last chapter) out in a week just as well.

Thanks for reading, reviewing and any support you can give!

7-15-10

1:13pm

Time to post. I've held off long enough.

7-16-10

3:09am


	8. Schooled

Summary–AU There are those moments in life where a few words or one sentence changes your entire view on everything you thought you knew. Most often for me they came from my best friend.LinkZelda friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**Alternating POV's here people. Watch yourself. Don't get confused.**

**Also, this chapter is pretty long compared to the others. You're free to stop and continue later because it is divided into separate "lessons".**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Admitting is the first step, part 1**

"Hey, Link."

I looked up to find Sheik and Malon walking up to my table. I smiled and waited.

"What's up?" he asked while they both took a seat across from me.

I motioned to the open book.

"How's Zelda?" Malon asked while pulling out her own notebook from the messenger bag she set on the table.

I shrugged and went back to reading. But I glanced up in time to see them exchange a look. I started wondering if Zelda told anyone about that night we talked about..._everything_.

"What?" I said with a blank expression.

Malon sighed while Sheik rested an elbow on the table to put his cheek in the open palm.

"Link, is there something going on between you two?" she asked, looking at me intently.

My brows came together as I asked, "Like what?"

"Can I confess something?" She changed the subject, and for some reason looked to Sheik for approval.

He shrugged. "I thought you talked to Zelda about these things already during your girl time."

Malon turned back to me. "Well the truth is...we all thought maybe you guys finally started dating."

My jaw dropped at what I was hearing. My brows were knitted together so tightly I wasn't sure I could make another facial expression. "What?" I asked back in shock.

She preoccupied herself with opening the notebook to a specific page while talking to me. "Look, it's just Sheik, Mido, Saria and I have all kind of thought you two would have gone out." She looked up quickly saying, "I'm not saying we think you guys are made for each other and everything would be all happily ever after if you did go out but it just seemed like the obvious thing to happen."

I managed to shut my mouth and stared blankly.

"You know, usually a guy-girl friendship turns into something more. And you two..." She made a 'wow' kind of face and glanced at Sheik who was silently watching me. "You two get along so great," she settled with.

Sheik smirked at me. "Yeah, and everyone thought you guys would've dated in high school but it never happened. In fact you barely dated at all. We even started to question your..." He trailed off with implications that made me catch fire.

"You're joking right?" I deadpanned. They had to be. I was ready to start laughing.

Malon made the same face right back at me. "Is Mido around?"

"No."

"Then no, we're not joking."

"You guys questioned my sexual orientation behind my back?" I asked again.

Sheik put his hand on the table and nodded, still smirking.

I paused, swallowing the angry comment that would have left my mouth. I looked back down to my book and pretended to read something, as if the conversation was over.

They thought Zelda and I would have dated? It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Zelda and I have been best friends for forever. I've never seen her as a potential girlfriend or even someone I would date. She was always just...Zelda.

To be quite honest I might not have been bothered by any of these speculated thoughts if it were two months ago. I would have just laughed it off and called them crazy. Everything would have gone back to normal and nothing would have come from it.

Instead I sat there wondering if Alfonzo was right. Maybe if I hadn't heard him that day I wouldn't be wondering what dating her was like. I never had these thoughts before.

I never felt uncomfortable around her. Except maybe when we first met and she was just this weird little girl moving in across the street.

But lately I had been having panic attacks whenever I saw her unexpectedly. Running into her around campus? Random phone calls? Showing up at my apartment with food or just to hang out?

Yeah, the feeling sucked. I always stopped breathing for a moment when I saw it was her.

Still, it wasn't that simple.

Okay, so apparently I had some feelings for my best friend – whom I've known since we were five years old – Zelda. Now what?

If it took me almost twenty years to find her attractive and start crushing on her like a sixth grader then who's to say she'll ever see me that way?

And apart from the mild heart attacks or whatever, my feelings didn't affect everything we did or said. So there really was no need to act on it and try to turn this into something more.

Bottom line, she probably never felt this way about me and I wasn't holding my breath for her to notice I had a crush or something on her.

"I'm not dating her," I said quietly, causing the two to look up at me but I pretended not to notice as I started reading for real.

But whether I just meant that statement as a fact of the present or a declaration for the future, I wasn't sure.

**xoxo**

**Admitting is the first step, part 2**

I laughed along with Saria as we sat at the nearest fast food place, having lunch between classes.

"And then he still tried to pass it off as a gift for me," she went on with a chuckle.

I bit my lip to stop the laughter. "Ah, man," I sighed after the climax of the story was over. "I can happily say that I'm glad I'm not dating right now." I smiled and went back to trying to finish my food.

She gave a small smile that always meant trouble.

I stopped eating and went, "What?"

Saria just shook her head.

"What? Was it something I said?" I asked, trying to examine my earlier words.

"No," she said and innocently took a sip from her soda. "I was just thinking it's a good thing you aren't dating right now."

I blinked. "Okay. Thanks."

I gave up trying to understand what in the world Saria was trying to hint at and didn't bother to ask.

"Hey," he said, looking surprised.

I raised my brows. "Why is it you always seem shocked when I come over these days?" I asked as I walked into the apartment.

Link looked a bit flustered at what he seemed to think was a confrontation.

"Are you okay?" I asked lightly and put my bag on the floor. Why was everyone acting so weird lately?

"Everything's good," he said and was suddenly back to reading through his notes at the kitchen table.

I didn't say anything as I dumped my things into the room I always used. It was already nine o'clock and we had both eaten before I showed up.

The only reason I decided to spend the night was because finals started the next day. By staying at Link's place I didn't have a long way to go to get to class, so the extra time could be used for studying.

Which is exactly what we did until two a.m. Link stayed at the kitchen table – covered in books, papers, notebooks, pens and highlighters. I settled onto the coffee table and sat on the floor and then later moved to rolling around on the floor holding my book to read from.

We barely spoke, and that was probably a good thing. A whole lot of awkward tension had been rising for at least two weeks now. But since it was that time of the semester we didn't have time to think on it.

I could only wonder about it just as I slid into bed after saying goodnight. I left my things where they were in the living room and set at least three alarms on my phone and on the nearby clock to wake me up early. Link had stayed at the table and said he'd head to bed when he finished the chapter, in about ten minutes.

Every time I saw Link around he had this surprised look on his face, like I was someone he hadn't seen in a while and didn't expect to ever see again.

It was weirder because it made me feel like I wasn't wanted. At first I thought I was interrupting something when I showed up at the apartment or spotted him around campus. Then it just seemed like he didn't want to see me.

Okay, so I lied. The reason it felt weirder was because it hurt my feelings a bit, and even in my mind I tried to deny feeling hurt. Because if I admitted to feeling hurt then it would mean I put a lot more emphasis on seeing Link. As in more than friends. And so by denying that I was hurt every time he seemed to not want to see me I was denying that I may have had more than platonic feelings for my best friend.

It was a confusing cycle and yet it made sense in my head.

I laid wide awake for half an hour, thinking. I tried to focus on remembering formulas and facts but kept getting distracted.

I heard when Link got up and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash up before going to bed. I stopped breathing and listened carefully as he trudged to his room and closed the door quietly.

"This is stupid," I told myself and turned over dramatically.

Why in the world was I crushing on my best friend?

Internally I cringed. Outwardly my face twisted up like I just ate something sour.

When I woke up at seven, after the first alarm, I headed out to the bathroom and washed up. I decided to study for an hour before taking a shower and then leaving for my first final.

I put on the radio (a bit too loud) and went around the kitchen getting cereal and glancing through some notes at the same time, so I didn't hear Link go to the bathroom.

So I stood between the living room and kitchen area staring down at the papers in my hand, in one of those moments where you get so wrapped up in something that you just stop walking completely and forget about whatever else you were about to do, when he came up behind me after exiting the bathroom.

I jumped out of my skin when he pressed his forehead onto my shoulder and groaned. My heart rate spiked and I almost dropped my notes.

"Zelda, can you accidentally give me food poisoning so I won't have to do this today?" Link asked.

The pause stretched on longer than necessary as my eyes were still bugged out and I was trying to breathe evenly.

"Uh, Link?" I finally asked rhetorically.

"Did you get enough sleep?" he asked and lifted his head while I turned around. "Cuz I feel like..." He yawned, proving the point.

I stared with the classic deer caught in headlights expression. He shoved a hand into his messy blonde hair and his eyes blinked tiredly.

And that was when I knew the only way to escape this crush on Link was to stay the hell away from him.

Why did I have a best friend that was so good looking? In fact, why wasn't my best friend the same gender as me?

**xoxo**

**Never just two sides to a coin**

"Oh my god," I said while stretching. "You feel that?"

I got weird looks in return but ignored them.

"Feels like freedom."

Saria giggled at my over-dramatization. Sheik shook his head and Mido agreed.

"Malon and Zelda get out in half an hour," Saria said while consulting her watch. "What should we do til then?"

"Sleep," Mido muttered.

"Definitely," I said as we walked towards the parking lot. "It's pretty overcast today," I looked up at the sky. "We could head to the park and sleep in the shade."

"How boring," Saria rolled her eyes.

"You know, I think this is the first time the six of us will be hanging out altogether since...since the beginning of the semester," Sheik commented.

We all thought this over as we came upon Sheik's car. Mido's car was also just a few spots over.

"Well that proves it," Mido declared. "School ruins friendships. We should just drop out right now and start our own business."

"Like what?" I asked while Sheik unlocked his car so we could dump our books and bags in there.

"Well we could pimp out you and Sheik," he replied thoughtfully.

Sheik didn't bat an eye while I was visibly startled at the idea.

"You've gotta be kidding," Saria interrupted me from speaking. "Link would die before doing something like that."

I stared at her with a raised brow. "What do you mean?"

"Link, aren't you still a virgin?" she asked blankly.

I started to change color. Sheik and Mido were smirking at me.

"Why are we talking about my sexual experiences?" I questioned, keeping my voice even.

"Or lack thereof," Mido snickered. I shot him a dark look.

"You don't even date Link. What are we supposed to think? You don't seem like the type to..." Saria trailed off, not sure how to describe it.

"Hey, I've dated!" I argued back. "Just because I don't get around like these two," I pointed a thumb to the giggling fools behind me, "Doesn't mean you should assume things."

"Assume what things?" someone asked.

We turned to watch Malon standing nearby.

"I finished the exam before Zelda so she'll just meet us here," she continued. "So then, what are you guys assuming?"

Before I could shout nothing and change the subject Mido spoke up.

"We weren't _assuming_. We were just discussing what we already know. Link's a virgin," he said smugly.

I started to walk over with my hands out to choke him. Saria caught the back of my shirt and the tug made me regain some sense.

Malon raised her brows but didn't say anything.

I gritted my teeth. "Okay, are you guys done?" I asked calmly. "I'll tell you the truth if you'd like."

"This'll be good," I heard Malon whisper to Saria.

"Okay, so what is it then?" Sheik questioned and folded his arms as my friends looked to me for some answers.

"We all know I don't date much, especially not much since our freshman year here." I shook my head. "But I don't get where you guys started thinking all these things about me. I never talked about any of it because I thought it was a private thing that no one needed to hear."

Mido grinned to Sheik, obviously thinking they were right.

"I'm not a virgin," I stated, pushing a hand through my hair. "I haven't been a virgin since like junior year of high school."

I watched as Mido's jaw dropped and Sheik's brows went up. Saria looked a little shocked too but Malon just grinned like she knew this all along.

"Who–" Mido was cut off by Saria elbowing him, hard.

I shrugged to myself, thinking 'what could it hurt?' and said, "Remember when I dated Ilia for a while?"

"Ilia?" Mido whispered in shock. Sheik rolled his eyes at our friend's overdramatic behavior.

"So I guess Link wasn't as innocent as we all thought," Sheik commented.

"Just Ilia?" Malon asked.

Rapt attention was on me again.

"Uh...well I'm not really one for one night stands but..." I rolled my eyes away. "But there was another girl somewhere at the beginning of college."

"Dude, you don't even remember her name?" Mido gaped again. "You're worse than I could imagine!"

My brows came together. "What do you mean? You've slept with someone that you only refer to as 'that chick with the green shirt'."

Saria sighed. "Well yeah, but he's an idiot."

"Hey!"

"You're Link. We all thought you were more...tasteful, I guess. Like you would probably save sex only for special people," she went on.

"I give up!" And threw my hands in the air. "I don't know why we're even talking about my sex life," I said, turning away.

"Hi Zel'," Malon greeted happily as she stared at us.

I know what they mean when they say cold fear runs through you. I've felt like that a few times, usually for a movie when something so unexpected happens it shocks you into place. All reactions are involuntary – they just happen. Your eyes go wide, you feel like something pushes you straight back into your seat and a literal cold chill runs through your insides.

That is how I felt when Malon greeted the last member of our group.

I stood up straighter and slowly turned around to see her smiling hesitantly.

"I see you guys are harassing Link," she stated and walked up to me. "Don't worry, I'm here to protect you," she told me.

Mido snickered somewhere out of my vision. I rolled my eyes.

**xoxo**

**Sometimes the hardest thing to do is stay**

I was spending a lazy afternoon with Saria. I sat on her bed while she was getting ready for work.

"Hey, have you seen my..." I trailed off, looking up from the magazine in thought. "Damnit," I said to myself.

"What?" Saria asked, walking out of her bathroom and heading for the armoire. She grabbed a red shirt, walking around in a pair of shorts and bra.

"I think I left it at Link's," I muttered, once again to myself.

"Mm, kay," she mumbled, pulling on the shirt and moving to the dresser to apply some makeup and tie her hair up.

After I was forced to leave her house while she went off to work I decided to pick up my things from Link's apartment. I was hoping he wouldn't even be home and I could use my key to slip in, get my things and leave.

I was wrong to think he wasn't home. But I was lucky to find he was in the shower.

It took me a few minutes to clear out all my beauty products from the dresser and shove my spare clothes into the backpack I used for these trips. I was praying he wouldn't leave the bathroom any time soon.

Then I noticed the pile of books in the corner – my notes and textbooks from the classes that had ended just a week ago.

So I left the room holding two backpacks, one of which couldn't even fit all my books so I was left to try and hold them in my arms.

I was just opening the front door while precariously holding onto everything when someone said, "Zelda?"

I screamed and dropped everything. The spine of a book hit my foot and I was hissing in pain by the time Link was close to enough to help pick it all up. I suppressed the cursing fit I wanted to have while holding onto my foot.

"You okay?" he asked while gathering the books together.

"No," I mumbled, grabbing the bags again.

"Leaving already?" he asked after rising with my stuff in hand.

"Well..." I looked away guiltily.

"Without even saying hi?" he went on.

"Sorry Link, I..." I looked up, and stared.

His eyes had me. That was it! I was losing myself because his eyes were staring at me in that honest way, waiting.

I hated that I was being so girly about this crush. It was why I needed to stay away. It was why I was gathering all my stuff. I would leave and...and spend the summer with my mom! Hopefully fall for some hot guy and have a 'summer fling' or whatever.

"Maybe we should talk," Link said carefully, looking away to ease the discomfort he must've known I felt.

"Bout what?" I asked back casually.

He chuckled to himself. "About the awkward conversation the other day. The one about my sex life."

I stared blankly. I didn't see how that was funny. "That's okay, Link. I've gotta get going."

He looked to me with furrowed brows. "Really? Where to?"

"I just need to spend some time away with my mom," I announced, though I had only just come up with the idea. "You know how it is. A summer getaway."

"You're leaving?" Link asked incredulously. "How come you didn't say anything?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" I asked, faking surprise.

His eyes narrowed. "What's going on?"

"With what?" I asked back in confusion.

"Zelda," he said with a hint of warning.

I dropped the façade and glanced around. "I just need to get away from..." I stopped myself before giving away any sensitive information.

"Running from something?" he asked with a dry look. "Zel', what made you think you could lie to me?"

I stalked past him after dropping my bags and sat on a sofa. "You don't know _everything_ about me," I huffed and folded my arms like a child.

He walked around and sat in front of me on the coffee table. He reached out and grabbed my hands in his own. "What's wrong Zel'?" he asked softly.

I stared at him and then at our hands. I hated the way something inside me jolted. This wasn't the way I felt when I liked someone. Not completely. Usually we flirted, we smiled and I left feeling happy.

I pulled away my hands. "I just really need to not be here for a while," I pleaded. As if I needed his approval.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you don't need to just...run away to deal with it," he said seriously.

I stared again before shaking my head. "I don't need to deal with it though, that's the thing. I just want to get away for a while and leave it alone. Come back and everything will be normal again," I said in one breath.

"Normal again?"

I looked up to see his skeptical expression. And then I backtracked to what I had said, going over my words.

"What happened?"

There was silence as I chose to avert my eyes to the floor instead of responding.

Link sighed and slouched forward. "Okay, so you don't want to talk about it. Fine. But listen, whatever it is you shouldn't just leave and hope things become 'normal again'."

"But I just don't want things to change again, Link," I interrupted him. "What if I say something and things turn out badly? What if I ruin it just like I ruin all my relationships with people?"

He smiled kindly for a second. "You're talking about a guy, aren't you?"

I only stared at him blankly, giving no inclination to any side.

Link got up and sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "You don't ruin your relationships. Maybe you haven't done so well romantically up until now but you never lost hope before. So why start now?" He shrugged, and then looked thoughtful. "And look at your parents, and your friends. Those relationships look pretty good to me."

I sat there staring at my hands for a while.

This was different, I wanted to tell him. I couldn't be sure I wouldn't ruin it this time. There was never so much at stake before.

He must have seen the worried expression as I thought. "Look, there's never a guarantee things will turn out like they do in movies."

I looked up at his words.

"But it's always better to try. Stay. Say something to him or don't, you can do whatever you want. Just...don't leave and think it'll be better that way." He quirked an eyebrow while staring me down. "I didn't know you liked someone new already."

I started. "What? No! I didn't say that!" I tried to deny. "If I did, Link, don't you think I would've told everyone by now?" I rolled my eyes.

"Whoever he is," Link went on.

I stared up at him. I noticed the hesitation, how it didn't suit him at all. This was Link, my best friend of about seventeen years. We knew each other so well that I could see he was unsure, just like he could see when I was lying.

Maybe I needed to rethink this. If we seemed to get along so well...why couldn't I hope there was a chance for something between us?

Or at the very least, I could follow his advice and stay. Not say or do anything, just ride this out. Why did I always have to shut down and reboot when awful things happened? Why couldn't I just stand there and let it wash over me?

"Whoever he is..." I looked up as he repeated this with eyes glazed over in thought. "He might be worth all this worrying."

"I guess so," I said to myself.

**xoxo**

**The lesson you teach but never learn**

I was busy playing a two on one game with Sheik and Mido. Of course, we rotated the one between Sheik and myself because we were both too good at basketball for Mido to keep up.

I jumped up to knock the ball out of Sheik's control and then landed on my butt.

"I think...we're done," Mido panted, "For today."

Even Sheik looked tired as he wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand while breathing hard. I nodded from the ground.

It wasn't as sunny as it had been two hours ago but I got the feeling we were all dehydrated.

"When do you guys have work?" I asked with a nod in their general direction.

Mido grabbed the water bottles and tossed one to me and then Sheik. They both took long gulps before anything was said.

"Not til five," Sheik responded, wiping his mouth.

I nodded to myself as Mido spoke up.

"No work today. Just a whole lot of chores."

I grinned. "That reminds me: maybe I should go home for the summer. See Aryll before she leaves for school."

"She sure has grown up," Mido commented with a grin as he sat on the nearby bleachers.

I sent a pointed look. His hands went up in surrender.

Sheik shook his head and sat down on the bleachers as well. "Mido wouldn't dare try to date her. He's already set his sights set on this girl we saw around campus all the time."

"Oh really? Since when does Mido wait so long before making a move?" I raised a brow and we turned to said person.

Even though his face was a little colored from embarrassment he still managed to look annoyed. "I'm not _waiting_," he replied. "I'm just looking for an opportunity to arise."

"Well the semester's over so I'm thinking the opportunities are gone," I commented and leaned back on my palms. The concrete wasn't as hot as I thought and Sheik started to laugh at my words.

"Well, we can't all live across the street from the girl we're trying to ask out," he said again.

Sheik looked at me abruptly and muttered, "Uh oh."

I stared in confusion. "What?"

"He means Zelda," Sheik rolled his eyes.

"Why would I want to ask out Zelda?" I asked back stupidly.

"Why wouldn't you?" Mido remarked under his breath.

I waited for an explanation.

All I got was those 'well, come on' looks from Sheik and folded arms from Mido.

"So you're saying you _don't_ like Zelda?" Sheik questioned carefully with a suspicious look. Mido snorted.

"Of course I do." They brightened. "She's my best friend." And then they sighed.

"Forget that. Why exactly don't you date, Link?" Mido asked and leaned forward curiously. "I mean, we all know there was Ilia and maybe like two other girls you only went on one date each with. But you just never seemed really interested in it." Sheik also looked to me for answers.

I shrugged. "It just doesn't seem that important. I've got everything I need already. Family, friends, a really good career coming up. I never saw the point."

"Don't you get...you know, lonely?" Mido asked.

Sheik elbowed him with a look at the tactless question.

The abused rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean like that. I meant, not having someone there for you."

"You guys are there for me," I said simply before taking another gulp of my water.

Then they both rolled their eyes.

"Yeah...okay," Sheik agreed. "But Mido and I aren't going to give you hugs and kisses on your bad days. No cuddling or 'makeup sex' or gazing fondly into each other's eyes."

Mido was choking on his laughter.

I shrugged. "Okay."

They exchanged some kind of worried look before Sheik leaned forward, elbows on knees and said, "This is what you want?"

"Come on, Link," Mido chided. "You really don't want to be with someone? Not even for the 'right now'?"

Sheik didn't let me respond. "Wake up. You do need someone. I can see all the excuses you wanna use but you're not _meant_ to be alone. Some people out there can have it, but not you. You're meant for someone. Even if it's temporary and you don't know how long it'll last."

"Out of all people, you're way too good. You deserve someone," Mido continued, staring down at the ground. He looked up at me with a serious expression. "But you don't even try, and no one can change that but you."

I stared at the two of them, wondering.

It's ironic and pretty hypocritical that I encouraged her to keep trying when I never did. She was always the one putting herself out there, looking for something. I didn't bother with it. I thought I was satisfied and I had it made already.

Except lately I had begun to wonder. About having someone there for you, just like Mido said. Having a best friend was the closest relationship I'd ever had. Even with any girl I'd ever dated, we didn't share all our fears and secrets, do that whole cuddling or just holding each other kind of sappy stuff.

Now though, I kind of wanted to know what it was like. And _she _was someone I almost had that relationship with. It just needed a few more steps. We already shared almost everything with each other, so why _not _her?

"Why Zelda?" I asked.

Mido shrugged and Sheik attempted a response. "Why not Zelda?" he asked back. "Don't you like her?"

There was a slight pause.

And then I said quietly, "Yeah, I do."

**xoxo**

**Take one step forward and no looks back**

Link and I never fought.

There was the one time he yelled at me when my parents were going through that nasty divorce. We argued a little, but it usually dissolved into teasing banter.

Maybe we respected and knew each other too well.

Maybe we didn't like to hurt each other with cruel and thoughtless words.

Maybe...we held back how passionate we could get over petty things, and even the more important things.

Even though he had convinced me to stay, not to pick up and go across the country to see my mom, I had resolved to not spend so much time around him.

Sure, I had successfully wrapped my head around my feelings for him. And maybe I was kind of trying to imagine what dating him would be like. And okay, it was starting to fill my head with reasons why it could work out.

But I was stuck on how I could possibly bring up such a topic. How do you just go out and say, 'I like you'?

I'd never had to be so direct before. Usually the feelings were obviously mutual and things worked out.

Well, until whoever I was dating at the time and I broke up and the world turned into a big black hole.

I kept making excuses to myself, trying to bide my time and think things over. I was at a loss on what to say, how to say it, and holy crap– what would his reaction be?

I don't think I ever really had to deal with rejection, but in this scenario I had _no idea_ what would happen.

And anyway, Link didn't seem to mind it much. No one called me out on my behavior. It wasn't obvious that I was avoiding him a bit, though it had only been like two weeks.

"Hey, what about sushi?" Sheik suggested.

Malon made a face. "I've tried it but I just don't think it's for me."

I shrugged carelessly.

"Or we could head to Link's place and order pizza," he continued.

I sat up straight from where I had been reclining. "Why can't we just order it right here?"

The two in front of me looked around at the mass of tables.

"We're still on campus, Zel'. Besides, what if Link's hungry too?" Malon asked with a sly grin.

"You're lucky we decided to pick you up. Who wants to take a summer class anyway?" I sighed.

"Are you sure he's even home? Didn't he mention something about heading back to his parents?" she questioned Sheik.

I let out a breath of air that didn't go unnoticed. "What?" I asked blankly as they stared me down.

"Something wrong?" Malon asked.

"Nope," I said cheerfully, though inside panicking.

"Okay, so let's call Link and see what he's up to." Sheik pulled out his phone and started dialing.

I jumped and I'm pretty sure they both saw. What if he was home? What if we did head over there? What if it turned into a moment that made Link say something like, 'Best friends forever, Zelda!' and then crush any hope of us–

"Hello?" a voice broke through my thoughts.

I glanced at the phone on the table that Sheik had put on speaker. Without thinking I snatched it up and ended the call.

Malon and Sheik stared at me with their mouths open.

I laughed stupidly. "Well, I guess he's home. Let's get going, I'm hungry," I said and got up from the table.

I'm an idiot.

This is what I kept repeating to myself on the drive to Link's apartment. In that time Link had called back and Malon answered while Sheik was driving.

He said that he actually wasn't home yet from work but I could just let us in with my key. I cringed when she glanced back at me.

I pushed open the front door and was met with Link's surprised face as he looked up at me. Sheik and Malon shuffled in behind me.

"Hey, Link. I thought you weren't going to be home yet," Sheik commented as he took off his shoes.

Said person grabbed his messenger bag off the floor and scratched his head. "Yeah...I just got in actually." He shrugged and left to dump the bag in his room while we filed in to sit around lazily on the couch.

He walked back out and stood in front of us.

"So?"

We looked up at him.

"Who's getting the food?" Link asked.

We all looked at each other.

"I'll order!" I shouted, pulling out my phone and holding it in the air.

Link shrugged. "You're at _my_ place." And excused himself from doing anything.

The remaining two looked to each other, even though I sat between them, and nodded decisively.

"Wait, don't they deliver?" I asked.

Malon grabbed the phone from me and said, "Nope, not anymore. We'll be back, so don't go all cannibal on each other while we're gone."

Her and Sheik got up and left without saying anything else. I didn't even get to call in the order!

My eyes narrowed in suspicion before I looked up at Link. He took to throwing himself down on the sofa next to me and turned on the TV.

"So how're things?" he asked while flipping the channels.

"I have no idea," I said honestly.

He looked perfectly comfortable to just sit around and wait for food. Meanwhile, I was trying to glance at him out of the corner of my eye without him noticing.

Do something. Say something. This was an opportunity. Stop waiting and making excuses and just _do something!_

My internal pep talk wasn't doing much but making me nervous. And it was starting to show with the way I kept clenching and unclenching my fists, like I was stretching or something.

"Link, can we talk?" I blurted out suddenly.

And then I realized what I had just said. It was punctuated when Link saw my expression and turned off the TV. I stared blankly into space, wondering if I could escape the situation somehow.

"What's up?" he asked, turning to face me and putting his right arm on top of the couch.

"Oh, well, you know...it's just..." My eyes darted around, trying to find something to talk about besides my feelings. "I heard you might wanna spend the summer at your house before Aryll leaves for college," I supplied with relief.

Link raised a brow skeptically. "I haven't really decided anything. I'd have to cut back on work a whole lot and I didn't talk to my parents yet."

"Oh, well that's okay, I guess," I said, once again, stupidly. "It would have been nice to see you across the street again," I laughed a bit, trying to change the atmosphere.

He grinned at me. "Why does it matter? You spent so much time sleeping over here."

"What? No I didn't. You make it seem like I was haunting your apartment," I argued, sitting up and looking at him. "In fact, I've only been around like half a dozen times in the past two months."

"It's not a bad thing, Zelda," Link chuckled at me. "And okay, the past few months have been hectic." He didn't elaborate on that. "But the past four years since I moved in you've become like a roommate. What would I say if I had company?"

I glared. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you _had_ company. Was I in your way this whole time?"

Now he was getting confused at my hostility, and maybe a little annoyed. "Zelda, stop taking it so personally. It's all true anyway. I'm not making these things up. You slept over here more than you did at your own house!" he argued back, his expression turning stormy.

"Okay, that may be true but if you thought I was intruding you didn't have to be such a pushover!" I said, my voice getting louder. "You could have easily told me I was in the way. I'm a big girl. I wasn't going to cry over it," I rolled my eyes.

"Why would I say that? You weren't in the way." Then he muttered to himself, "All the time."

"What was that?" I questioned sharply, arms folding in front of my chest defensively.

He continued on, ignoring me. "And how could I say no when you probably would have convinced me anyway? Bribing me with junk food and telling me you'd fail your classes?" He scoffed at me.

I jumped up from the sofa. "I didn't bribe you! I just brought over food sometimes so we wouldn't starve! I'm sorry I'm watching out for my own well-being, as well as yours!" My eyes narrowed. "Whatever, it's not like you had any _company_ anyway," I said, my eyebrows lifting dangerously with implication.

Link glared up at me. "_What _are you talking about?"

I shook my head. "Or were you running around having _sexcapades_ anywhere but your apartment? Was I the reason you didn't date or bring home girls?" I asked, my mouth opening in some demented realization.

"I wasn't running around having _sexcapades!_" he shouted, standing up as well. Then he shook his head to clear the thought. "And no! You're not the reason I didn't date much."

"Try: ever," I muttered, my arms still folded.

He kicked at air in frustration while both hands dug into his hair. "Why does everyone keep bringing up my absent love life?"

Then he turned to me with accusations, something I didn't expect.

**xoxo**

"You need to stop blaming yourself for everything," I said, pointing a finger in her surprised face. "You're _not _the reason your parents divorced. You're _not_ the reason your relationships have all failed – it's because you don't pick the right guys. And _you're_ not the reason I don't date. _I _am!" I said exasperatedly, throwing my hands up. "Yes, look at that. Perfect little Link just realized his greatest flaw: he talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk."

Zelda stared at me like I had just declared my love for her, which meant in utter shock.

"What are you talking about?" she finally asked.

I rolled my eyes away from her. "I was so busy preaching to you about giving your mystery guy a chance and not to give up on finding someone, when I never even bothered to try. I gave up earlier than you ever did," I frowned to myself.

There was silence.

"I don't go around having sex with every girl I see, Zelda," I said bitterly. "Seeing as I'm not the one spending all my free time dating." And even I wasn't sure if I was taking a jab at myself or at her.

"I don't spend all my free time dating," she denied.

I turned back to stare at her hard. "And you were accusing me of 'sexcapades'? I obviously don't get around like you do. Did I ever really tell you how I hate-hate-_hated_ how you started dating? That whole thing with your parents just like jump started you on finding your perfect boyfriend, huh? How many guys _have_ you been through?" I asked.

And though I knew the words coming out of my mouth were mean and hurtful, I couldn't stop myself.

Her arms, folded tightly in front of her chest before, now loosened and her face was wiped of any emotion.

"None," she said. "I haven't 'been through' any guys." Zelda didn't bother looking at me.

I stared at her blankly, the dots connecting slowly in my head. Finally I said, "Wait. So, you mean..."

We were both quiet. I stopped staring and she was pulling at her hair anxiously.

"So...we done?" she asked suddenly.

I looked up and blinked. And then my mouth formed the word on its own...

"No," I said.

"No?" she questioned, taken aback.

I shook my head. "No," I repeated.

This was it. I should say something. Just tell her how I feel. Maybe it'll go somewhere or maybe it won't. But I shouldn't just let these things pass me by.

I had weeks to say something – hint at something – but I never bothered. I barely got to see Zelda enough anyway since the semester ended, which kind of made me think she was avoiding me.

Malon and Sheik leaving us alone to get food was an obvious ploy (on his part). I'm not sure how long it would have taken me to say anything otherwise.

Just how do you tell your best friend you've recently acquired a crush on her after having an argument about 'sexcapades'?

"We don't ever fight," I said in dull realization. "Do we?"

She shook her head slowly. "No. Never."

"Can we talk?" I asked, echoing her earlier words as I sat back down on the sofa.

She kept up a blank stare and sat down as well.

I sighed and raked a hand through my hair. "I was wondering," I started subtly. "Who was the guy you were talking about that day? You still haven't mentioned him to anyone."

She sputtered in surprise for a moment. "No, I wasn't–" She stopped and there seemed to be some internal conflict that showed on her face. "He's...someone that you know. Very well." And with that she nodded confidently, looking determined.

I jerked back in surprise.

_What? _So there actually was a guy? I had kept that to the back of my mind until now, hoping it wasn't a big deal. You know Zelda's into someone when she can't stop talking about him, so I assumed...

"Sometimes he's all I can think about," she spoke again, staring me down intensely.

"He...is?" I asked, my heart having stopped.

Then I shook my head, shaking off my mixed feelings as well. I had to tell her, even if it wasn't meant to be. This was a big step for me.

"So why haven't you said anything about him?" I questioned further.

She glanced away in embarrassment. "Well, things are complicated. I'm not sure if...if this has a chance."

I opened my mouth to protest. She never had a problem before. But she spoke up again before I could say anything.

"This is different." Zelda looked back at me with the same consuming gaze. "I haven't made a move and he..." She shrugged, trying to ease the tension. "It might work out and it might not."

I blinked, remembering when I had said something similar to her.

Not to sound conceited, but because her and this mystery guy weren't very definite I felt like I had more of a chance. It gave me courage to just say what I had to say.

"Zelda, I like you."

She stared at me.

"As in, more than just a friend," I spoke again.

She jumped up from the sofa with fear and shock on her features. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"What?" I asked, trying not to let myself feel disappointed or depressed at her response. Technically I didn't know yet if she found this detestable or wonderful. Though I was seriously doubting it would reach either of those extremes.

"But I w–" Zelda stopped, her hand covering her mouth. Then her eyes narrowed. "You're messing with me aren't you? You know that I–" She stopped in shock again and her eyes when wide. "You know!" she breathed out and stood there.

"Know what?" I asked. "What are we talking about?" I was getting afraid my confession was buried beneath some other topic that had suddenly popped up without my notice.

"You already knew about my feelings," she said in a low voice, almost scared to actually say them.

I stared up at her. "What feelings?" I closed my eyes tightly and then opened them again with renewed determination. "Look, I don't want to get sidetracked here and completely back away." I stood up. "Zelda, I like you and I just wanted you to know." I shrugged like it didn't matter while inside having one of those heart attack moments. "So just tell me what you think so I can–"

I stopped when I looked over to see her getting all teary eyed.

"What?" I asked quickly. "Was it what I said?" I moved closer to lean in towards her slightly down-turned face.

She shook her head. "This isn't fair. I was the one who wanted to talk." She laughed at herself. "I like _you_, Link."

I paused and made a confused face.

"Yes. And _my _talk was supposed to be _me_ confessing these feelings." Zelda swiped a hand at her eyes and all trace of water was gone in a flash.

I slowly backed up and sat down on the sofa again. I was too busy, in shock, to respond. She sat down as well and we stared at the blank TV for a moment.

A minute passed and I sank into the couch, trying to get comfortable with the situation. A few more passed because we didn't know what to say next.

"Link?" she finally asked.

"What do we do now?" I asked back in response.

I saw her lift her head slowly and so I turned to look at her. She grinned and moved closer.

"Well...seeing as you taught me some things, why don't I show you some things?" she asked cheekily.

My brows came together. "You did show me some things." A lot of things, is what I thought. "You taught me better than I could ever have done for you."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "What? With the trial and error thing I had going on? Oh yeah, that was great."

I paused in thought. "We never fight." I looked to her for confirmation and she nodded. "So why did we?"

She thought this over. "Well...maybe because we both felt there was something there between us. And we needed some way to get rid of all that tension. Even if it had to be with an argument."

"I guess."

"But..." And I looked at her as she grinned again, causing me to reflect it back. "Like I said, I could show you another way to get rid of that tension."

"What? There isn't any tension now th–" I stopped and realized something while she rolled her eyes at me.

"A fun way, she continued.

I smirked at her, placing a hand on the sofa between us so I could lean closer. "I'm pretty sure I'm better at it than you are. After all those 'sexcapades'?"

I didn't get to tease her further because she stopped my lips with her own.

Okay, so I didn't hear the door open. I didn't notice the laughter and footsteps. And I didn't realize we were being watched until Sheik started snickering while Malon loudly placed things in the kitchen.

Zelda pulled away and we both looked to see our friends. Sheik was openly staring at us with a smirk. Zelda backed away so I could sit up.

I shoved a hand through my hair. "Back already?" was all I asked.

"I didn't know Zelda was so aggressive," Malon commented with a sly smile, getting herself some water.

Sheik turned to her. "Nah, I think Link just likes girls on top."

Zelda's mouth opened to protest, or at least scold them both.

I shrugged and beat her to it. "Maybe," I responded.

She gaped as I got up and grinned, walking towards to open pizza box. After a moment she got up and headed in the same direction while Sheik and I were already eating.

"So you guys are dating now, huh?" Malon questioned as Zelda picked up a slice.

Zelda smirked. "Oh no." I choked on my food. She cast a wicked glance at me. "Link's so naïve and ignorant. I was just _teaching_ him some things."

My mouth fell open. "Oh really? Is that why I was the one making you–"

Sheik slapped a hand over my mouth. "Dude, we're eating. Can you guys have a lover's spat when we're not around?"

**xoxo**

**Sorry that **this chapter was so long. I'm sorry but I refused to cut it anywhere along the way. It built up slowly to this climax or something, and cutting it apart would be like listening to half of a song one day and then the other half the next day. It did not make sense to me.

Technically this is the last chapter, but I'm wondering if there needs to be some kind of epilogue. The minute details of Link and Zelda's relationship weren't really disclosed. Maybe you felt there needed to be more of an explanation before they jumped each other? I don't know. I think I do.

I wonder if you could feel their tension and anxiousness and uncertainty like I did. Tell me what you think.

This chapter, just counting the story alone amounted to **8,438 words**. Really-very-long. This chapter is now one third of the entire story. Amazing that so much can happen in so little time.

I guess if anyone thinks and/or convinces me to write an epilogue-like chapter after this I might. I'm not sure yet. The story status will be changed to _complete _after this chapter goes up but if I add something, it'll just happen.

I'm off to work on another story after this. I'm very busy this summer with writing fanfics and stuff. It's amazing.

I'll post this in a few hours or tomorrow. I keep feeling like I should reread the entire thing but I've reread it over a dozen times as I was writing. If you find mistakes, please let me know!

Thank you to everyone that has offered support. Seeing as I'm already writing such a horribly long End Note here, it wouldn't hurt to thank my reviewers by name…

** – WritersBlock XD – Linkandzel – lv1s – TheFinalCountdown – Dash Handsome – Forever-Gamer321 – toonLink7 – HurricaneHaley – Airian Reesu**

It's been fun! Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for me if you'd like.

7-23-10

11:24pm

Okay I'm getting anxious and even though waiting gets me to correct/add things before posting I can't. I tried.

7-24-10

12:42am


	9. Epilogue

8-3-10

2:22am

Summary–AU From learning Sex Ed at age five to understanding the difference between being lonely and being alone, Link is taught more than one possibly should from his best friend – Zelda. Life's a classroom: always teaching and being taught. friendship/romance

**Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**Still alternating POV's here. Shouldn't be confusing at all though.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Schooled**

**Epilogue**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

**Don't look into my eyes if you want to keep your free will**

"Tada! I'm home," I announced, and then looked up to see Link pulling on his undershirt and holding onto the collared one with buttons waiting to be done up. "What's going on?" I asked, glancing down at my suitcase. I thought I knew how to make an entrance.

"Gonna be late," Link grumbled while fumbling with the buttons.

"Late? You're never late," I commented in surprise.

I moved out of the entryway and rolled my suitcase along with me.

He mumbled something that I couldn't hear and I couldn't help leaning forward curiously.

"What?" I questioned.

Then he just gave up with the buttons on the second shirt and looked at me, agitated.

"I couldn't get to sleep," he said, still with that slight pout.

"Why?" I blinked, moving forward to help with his misbuttoned shirt.

He looked away from me as he said, "I missed you."

My movements stopped abruptly as I stared at my hands on his clothes. Of course now we were both blushing. Dating for two years and still I blush with him!

"I was only gone for a week," I mumbled in slight protest.

"Yeah yeah, I know. You haven't seen your mom in ages. It's not like I was going to stop you. How was I supposed to know that I wouldn't get any sleep?" he replied, obviously a little annoyed at his own embarrassment.

Slowly my fingers started working again, only this time is reverse.

"Wha– Zelda, I have to go!" he looked down at my actions, startled.

I turned my eyes up at him with the most innocent smile I could muster.

"I only started there a few months! I can't be late!" he was panicking.

My smile got bigger.

"And Malon called to ask when you'd be..."

Come on Link, shut up already.

He stared at me a moment longer while leaving the sentence unfinished, and then moved closer and closer to me.

When he pulled back he said, "Damnit Zelda."

I grinned before pulling him back down with my grasp on his shirt still tight.

**xoxo**

**You can't run and you can't hide**

"Zel'!" I yelled in dismay. "Why? Why would you do this to me?" I asked while walking to the kitchen table.

She looked up from staring down at her notebooks with a pencil in hand. "What'd I do this time?"

My lips came together in a grim line while I glared. "No. Hot. Water," I said threateningly.

Zelda didn't look fazed as she went back to her books. "Sorry Link, I don't have time to join you for a shower," she said.

At which point my eyes bugged out so much they could fall out of their sockets.

"I've got a test to study for," she went on.

I stared at her in disbelief for a minute. So I caught the lip biting and nervous twitch.

And Zelda's not at the top of her class for nothing, so she knew I knew in that moment. She jumped up and ran for the front door to the apartment.

The same apartment I had lived in since I started college. The same apartment we shared after she moved in a year ago. The same apartment I was going to murder her in if she kept using all the hot water!

I was hot on her trail, shutting the door loudly in my wake. The neighbors would complain but it was always a great big joke to watch the two of us act like five year olds.

"Zel'!" I shouted as she took the emergency exit stairway, heading down. I followed right after.

"I didn't do it! I swear!" She was still trying to swear her innocence? Ha!

"Oh yeah? Who was it then? Sheik?" I asked, jumping the last few steps to the first floor just as she opened the door to the lobby-ish area with everyone's mailboxes.

"No, it was Ganon!" she laughed, finally getting ahead while going for another set of stairs and making her way back up.

I saw my chance and pushed myself to speed up so just as she began to open that door to the third floor I slammed it shut again with one hand.

Zelda turned around to look at me with wide eyes. I grinned.

"If you just admit it then I'll still cook dinner for _both_ of us," I said while staring her down.

Her look didn't have the desired effect on me and finally she sighed in defeat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't _mean_ to," she mumbled, glancing away.

"And...?" I prompted, leaning closer with my hand still planted securely on the door to her escape.

She looked back up at me. "And..." She suddenly grinned. "And I promise next time I'll ask if you want to take a shower at the same time so I won't get in trouble for this!" she announced.

"Stupid," I shook my head and leaned in to shut her up from making any more smartass comments.

I pulled away, still tugging at her lower lip slightly before letting go.

Zelda blinked a moment. Then she said, "You know, I've never met someone with lips as intense as their eyes."

I stared in surprise, my eyebrows disappearing under my bangs.

She turned, pulled open the door and made a run for it.

I grinned before going after her again.

**xoxo**

**You stopped watching my back, because you're watching **_**me**_

I hate when it's so quiet. But it was really late and I should have been sleeping.

Not to mention dark. You know how much I hate the dark?

I turned over from lying on my stomach to my back, and stared at the ceiling.

Link was already asleep and there wasn't any point in bothering him. He had to get up for work and I had to get up for class.

I thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and quickly turned to stare hard in that direction.

I got up to use the bathroom, turning on almost every light I could on my way – even if the bathroom was right across the hall.

Then I systematically turned them off and got back into bed before turning off the bedside lamp.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

I tried really hard to clear my mind or think of trivial things and when I peeked open an eye half an hour had passed and I still wasn't tired.

So I rolled back over onto my stomach, propping my chin on folded arms and started staring at Link.

"Zelda," he groaned, and I thought he was dreaming or something.

But then one blue eye popped open to gaze at me lazily and I froze.

"You're...awake," I said guiltily.

"Yeah, and so are you," he mumbled.

"I couldn't sleep," I admitted.

"I know."

"I...don't like the dark," I said quietly.

"I know."

My brows came together. "You know?"

"I've known for almost as long as I've known _you_," he said, opening both eyes and moving up to rest on his elbows.

"I don't tell anyone that," I frowned.

Link threw the covers aside and got out of bed. "I got you a night light for a reason," he said while walking out of the room.

I turned around and sat up. "What?"

Then he walked back in holding the object in his hand.

"No, you didn't," I accused. "That was always just in the guest bedroom."

He rolled his eyes and moved to the nearest outlet. "No it wasn't. I got it just for you."

I stared at him as he plugged it in and flicked it on.

"And I thought you would have just brought it into this bedroom," he said and settled back under the covers.

While he was getting comfortable again I still sat there, staring at it.

"You got me that night light?" I asked myself.

"Mmhmm," he went. "I know you Zel'."

I stared at it a bit more before lying down and tucking into him.

"Yeah, I guess you do."

I closed my eyes and I felt him twirl my hair between his fingers.

"Okay, but if you tell anyone I'll kill you," I said softly.

**xoxo**

**A few wrong words can be swept away with the right ones**

"Zel' you're being paranoid," I said tiredly as we walked into the apartment.

"Of course I get to be paranoid! I was already dumped by my last boyfriend like dead weight!" she shouted in her anger, and headed straight for the bathroom.

I threw myself on the sofa while she was yanking out her hair and jewelry. Then she came back to the living room.

"It's just a job," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, and I'm still struggling through a major I'm not sure is even going to lead to a job I actually want!" she yelled, mostly at herself I could tell. "And then my dad is gonna disown me and adopt you because he's always liked you and I won't be able to take care of my half of rent so you'll kick me out of the apartment and get a new roommate and I'll have to beg Malon to stay at her dad's ranch where I'll be forced to sleep in the stables with hay and horses an–"

I sighed during her rambling. "Shut up, Zel'. You're overreacting."

She blinked, coming back to the real world.

"And your dad _has _always liked me. But I'm pretty sure he wasn't implying anything at dinner," I said as she walked closer so I could pull her into my lap.

She curled up like a cat and put her face in the crook of my neck, her hair tickling me a bit.

"And I thought you loved your major. Why are you complaining all of a sudden?" I asked with my arms encircling her.

"Cuz I'm stressed. And worried. And that internship is gonna make me lose all my hair. I hate that guy so much," Zelda fumed. "I hate being an adult," she sighed. "Can't we just go back to high school?"

"Oh yeah, cuz being twenty-four and in high school isn't weird at all," I joked.

Zelda lifted her head to glare. "I didn't mean like that!" she scowled.

I raised a brow. "So then you want to go back to being oblivious to certain things and not having learned all the things you have in the past few years and _also_," I paused, "Not having me as a 'roommate'?"

I was appalled to notice her thinking this over.

"Well...maybe not the roommate part." She twisted around to properly sit in my lap.

And then someone was pounding on the door before I could start making out with my girlfriend. I groaned and my head fell back as she got up to answer it.

"Hey," I heard Zelda greet whoever it was.

I closed my eyes, hoping they'd be gone soon.

"Hey Link," Sheik said. I didn't need to open my eyes to know. And if I did I'd be glaring.

"What's going on?" Zelda asked.

"Sheik suggested poker and we came to see if your place was open," someone else piped in. Malon.

Finally I stood up to look at the two. "Actually, I've got to get up early for work and all so–"

"Oh," Malon said with a worried look.

Sheik just smirked and looked at her. "He's lying. Link just wants us to leave so him and Zelda can–"

Zelda slapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish that statement with whatever colorful euphemism he was going to use.

"Oh," Malon said again with a better understanding. "Alright. I'll call Mido and Saria and tell them it's a go then." She smirked as well and pulled out her phone.

I groaned again and slapped a hand to my face before looking at Zelda desperately.

"What? They're your friends too," was all she could say with a shrug.

**xoxo**

**To get the right answer, you need to ask the right question**

"No," I said.

"No?" he repeated in disbelief.

I didn't say anything else as I moved to wash the dishes.

Link was standing there, gaping at me. I wanted to ask if he was okay but that would probably be like pouring salt in the wound.

"So..." he tried to start off. "Wait." He shook his head. "No?" was all he could say.

"No," I said simply.

"What the– Ar-are we breaking up?" he asked in confusion.

"Of course not," I said, though I was getting that nervous kind of heat and soon I'd get upset and teary-eyed.

"You _don't_ want to marry me?" Link asked incredulously.

"No, that's not it!" I said, turning to him in shock. "I mean, yes I want to marry you."

"Then why 'no'?" he asked again.

"Because," I replied, biting my lip. And I realized water was all over the countertop and even on my shirt. "Oh sh–"

He moved over quickly to turn off the faucet while I stupidly tried to wipe up the excess water with a dish towel.

"Ah..." I said, looking down at my shirt. "What were you saying?" I looked back up at him.

He took hold of my shoulders and sat me down at the kitchen table.

"Okay, let me get this straight," Link paced a bit in front of me. "You do want to marry me?"

I nodded but he still waited for verbal confirmation. "Yes."

"But you just said no?"

"Yeah..."

"So then...what I'm gathering is...not right now?" he asked.

"Um...well, yeah." I bit my lip for the nth time.

Link stood there thoughtfully. "Okay, maybe I'm not asking the right question."

I stared at him.

He turned to me and said, "Will you marry me...when the right time comes?"

There was this unearthly silence and I could tell that as soon as he said it he started getting nervous. Hey, I was nervous too.

Slowly, I started a nod. "Yes."

"But not right now?" he tried to confirm.

"Exactly," I nodded again with more confidence.

And before I could blink he grinned and pulled me up into the air. I had to throw my arms around him so he wouldn't drop me.

Then he stopped spinning around happily and looked at me.

"So does this mean you don't want to wear a ring yet?" he asked suspiciously.

"Did you buy one?" I asked back with the same tone.

"No."

"Good," I sighed in relief. And I hugged back tight this time because I was so completely love with this idiot.

"So when do you think you'll be ready exactly?" he still asked even though I was afraid my grip was choking him.

He put me down to stand on my own feet.

"Why does it matter? I'm not goin' anywhere," I smiled up at him.

Link narrowed his eyes, looking for something in my expression.

"Good. Neither am I," he replied before moving his head onto my shoulder and placing his lips on my neck softly.

"Good," I said with a shudder.

In-between the foreplay and before the bedroom I was thinking, I'm glad we had this talk.

I wasn't ready, and he wasn't ready.

There was still a lot more to learn.

**xo end xo**

**I'm done.** I got inspired to just get started on this Epilogue already. I didn't want to put it off and forget about it.

Okay here's the thing, I'm not good at the sappy kind of endings. And another thing is that...marriage doesn't sit well with me. I can read it, watch it on TV and whatever. I can _maybe_ even write it but I probably wouldn't. So I'm sorry that a lot of you felt a proposal/engagement/wedding/being married had to be the inevitable ending.

Well, if you like the Epilogue or not, go ahead and tell me.

**Just to clear up: **If you still don't know, this entire chapter takes place two years after the last one where they got together. It means Link and Zelda have been dating for two years. It was also mentioned that she moved in with him a year after they started dating. Current age throughout the epilogue is 24. And if you didn't get these things while reading you gotta pay attention more, it was only mentioned in subtle sentences.

Well now I can dust off my hands with this one. I'm happy and satisfied with it. I feel a little bad that most of you will still be disappointed but I can't/won't change it now.

Thanks for reading and all your support!

8-3-10

8:49pm


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